March 15, 2024
Facility Campaign
PEPA has been campaigning for a dedicated pickleball facility since our inception two years ago. Just one of our first efforts was the public input meetings for Mary Frances Keisling Park (MFK), in July, 2022. Based on our input, City consultants put eight dedicated pickleball courts in the Master Plan. Unfortunately, there is no funding yet for this project, so what do we do in the meantime?
Let's give a big shout out to our beloved northeast members who spoke at the Call to the Public for the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting on March 13! We told the Board that the El Paso demand for a pickleball facility was validated by the MFK Master Plan. Until there is funding, what do we do for a facility?
We presented our proposal to convert the two Grandview tennis courts to six permanent pickleball courts. Most of the representatives' responses were very positive, and they voted to add pickleball facility discussion to the meeting agenda next month.
The representative for the area that contains Grandview Park, however, was not thrilled. She asked why their neighborhood association had not been contacted. Fortunately I was able to list the three attempts we had made to include them. She says they will want us to speak to their board. Great! We will be there.
Our cause will be helped if we can find pickleball players who live between Fred Wilson (north), Fort Blvd (south), Patriot freeway (east) and Alabama (west). We have few members in that areas, so please - if you have friends who play from there have them email their name and address to the club at pickleballEP@gmail.com so that we may tell the neighborhood association that there is Grandview neighborhood demand for pickleball courts.
What do you see?
The Parks and Recreation Board asked for conversion cost data AND options in addition to Grandview.
What do you see in this picture? I see the potential for six pickleball courts, just like Austin Pickle Ranch, located on the roof of a parking garage in downtown Austin.
Advantages:
No noise problem for nearby residents
Concrete that is three feet thick, rather than the four inches at parks: no cracking
Bathrooms already available
Electrical wiring available
Some fencing, would need to be heightened, and of course ...
Plenty of PARKING! 🤣
Lia and Patty pointed out the close proximity to downtown bars and breweries. Let's have some fun!
There is a slope in the middle of the roof for drainage - we need to see what options are available.
Good Things Happening At Ascarate
When Ascarate Parks and Recreation committed to building the four dedicated pickleball courts in January, 2022 (opened November 2022), they said they would resurface the adjacent tennis court. Work has started! Thank you Diane Medina for the scoop. We tried to get them to convert these to four more dedicated pb courts, but they turned us down; it will be one tennis with either four sets of multi-use pickleball lines or two; I am trying to get confirmation. So! Bring your net.
Wind screens have also been installed, thanks to a pitch to Commissioners Court by Pete Melendez.
LOTS of Tournament Results
From the PEPA sponsored Randy Limbird Memorial event
Women's Intermediate Doubles:
First: Lia Shelton and Lynda Robbins
Second: Hannah Betts and Santa Gamez
Third: Laura Houston and Bonnie Little
Fourth: Ivette Yoshinaga and Vanessa Aguirre
Men's Intermediate Doubles:
First: AJ Gallardo and Jacob Galaviz
Second: Cameron Duchene and Lee Andrew Maullon
Third: Rafa Gonzales and Keith Derry
Fourth: Kent Kaneer and Glen Swan
Advanced Open Anything Goes
First: Paige Bowling and Isai Reyes-Quiroz
Second: Marc Aguirre and Andrew Bustamante
Third: Raul Hernandez and Jose Guerrero
Fourth: Ben Chen and Keith Koether
From the Galatzan Easter Tournament
Intermediate Doubles
First: Dennis and Dominique Tramontana
Second: Gentry and Justin Cleveland
Advanced Doubles
First: Sonu and Bonnie Little
Second: Al Lanza and Lia Shelton
Pat O'Rourke Reopens!
Who remembers the old YMCA on Montana Street near downtown? The City bought it some years back, it has been renovated, and the reopening ceremony was March 6. Check the Where to Play tab on our site. Director Jessica Jones is experimenting with reserving Wednesday from 9:00 - 11:00 for newcomers. With so many small, 2 - 3 court venues separating by level might develop.
New Galatzan Hours
Check the Where to Play tab on our site.
Play happy,
Jamie Fisher
President, Pickleball El Paso