By Corey Fischer

Digging For PickleBall

Oct 5, 2017 | 5:45 AM

Work is finally ready to start on a new 600-thousand dollar pickleball facility in Vernon.

Crews will start digging the foundation Tuesday at the site in Marshall Field, along with moving water and power lines.

Project manager Don Friesen from the Vernon Pickleball Association says they’ve been waiting for final approval.

“Everything is 100 percent go. All the services will be worked on, the irrigation system will be moved, the hydro line, we’re working on getting that moved, and we’ll be working on digging the foundation Tuesday morning as well.”

Friesen, who has hired contractors to do the work, hopes to have the concrete and paving done before the snow flies, otherwise it will have to wait until spring.

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“The problem with waiting til spring is now you have to wait for areas to dry up before you start hauling big trucks in an out, so it stretches it out considerably.”

Friesen says the goal is to have the 12 courts open by next May.

“That will be a summer time facility, and the club will be raising funds for putting a building over top of the courts to make it a covered court so we can use it most of the winter as well.”

Friesen says the cost for covered courts is an extra $1 million on top of the $600,000 for the basic facility.

The club and the regional district are splitting the $600,000 cost.

Friesen says the pickleball club has close to 400 members, and these will be the first courts specifically for the sport.

“In the 55 Plus BC Games, we had 900 pickleball games, so that’s an indication of how popular pickleball has become,” states Friesen.

by Corey Fischer