Partnership Creates Pickleball Courts in Carbondale
The Roaring Fork Pickelball Association, Town of Carbondale Mayor Dan Richardson, and Alpine Bank Carbondale’s Bentley Reist celebrate the ground breaking ceremony at the future site of the Young-Calaway Alpine Bank Pickelball Courts in Carbondale
Alpine
Bank and the J Robert Young Foundation have joined forces with a host of
community-minded residents to fund and build the first and only
tournament-ready pickleball courts in the Roaring Fork Valley. The Town of
Carbondale has provided the 11,000-sq.-ft. parcel in North Face Park adjacent
to the existing dual-purpose tennis/pickleball courts.
Roaring
Fork Pickleball Association (RFPA) Campaign Finance Chair Jim Noyes says, “These
courts will be a great asset for Carbondale and the valley in so many ways. While pickleball is
the fastest-growing sport in the world, it has stagnated here due to the lack
of court access. That
obstacle
goes
away. In
addition, with a total of 12 usable courts, Carbondale can host tournaments
that will bring people from all over the West to town.”
“We
are already planning a three-day Grand Opening event in June, 2020. We can invite local
school kids, disabled athletes and seniors to come and play this unique
sport….a sport that is easy to learn, but takes forever to master and one
that provides social interaction and community along the way,” Noyes says.
While
planning and design have been going on for some time, construction just began
in late August The plan is to pour the concrete court this fall for play next
spring.
Noyes
adds, “This project required a lot of collaboration. We started with no
land, no money and a whole bunch of other town priorities. RFPA committed to
raising the entire $275,000 needed and a host of River Valley Ranch residents
kickstarted the fundraising with $90,000 of pledges. Parks & Rec
came up with a quarter-acre at North Face, the Trustees blessed the plan, and
we were off and running just last spring.”
Local
architect Jeff Dickinson provided essential upfront design input “pro bono”,
and builder Jeff Wadley has done the same as the Owner’s Rep for the
town…essential collaboration.
On
September 12, the Carbondale Trustees approved a petition that the courts be
named “Young-Calaway Alpine Bank Pickleball Courts” to honor the legendary
philanthropists who have contributed so much to Carbondale and the Roaring Fork
Valley.
RFPA’s past President Cilla Dickinson said, “We knew this was going to
take a village and a bank to get done. We also knew, or at
least hoped, that we could muster
enough enthusiasm and financial support to build these without dipping into the
town’s limited funds. On behalf of everyone
involved, RFPA players and others, we take a great deal of satisfaction in
being able to provide this terrific asset to the greater community.”