Ball players in Oliver will no longer be in a pickle over where to play with the proposed building of four new pickleball courts in town.
At the Oliver Parks and Recreation Department’s recent meeting last Monday, Carol Sheridan, manager of parks and recreation, proposed a report suggesting that the department begin planning and preparation to build pickleball courts, as well as repair and resurface the town’s tennis courts.
Earlier in November, Sheridan met with executive members of the Oliver Tennis and Pickleball Clubs to discuss the need for proper courts in Oliver.
The report stated that in 2018 the society will work to decrease the water getting onto court surfaces from irrigation, as well as replace and fix windscreens. The Society also plans to repair and resurface the tennis courts and add a practice backboard. The improvements are estimated to have a total cost of between $80,000 and $100,000.
In the next two to four years, the addition of four outdoor pickleball courts could also become a possibility, dependant on resolution from the society and sufficient fundraising.
To ensure equal input from various community groups, a working committee focussing on sport court development will be meeting regularly starting in January. The committee will include members of the pickleball and tennis clubs, Oliver Parks and Recreation and potentially School District 53 and Osoyoos Indian Band.
An open house regarding the project, as well as a fundraising kick-off for the committee, are tentatively being planned for April.
