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Valley County Pickleball Club reports heavy use of new McCall courts; plans resurfacing, programs and practice wall
Summary
Club leaders updated the Valley County Board of Commissioners on court use, free community programming starting in June/July, a planned resurfacing the last week of May or first week of June, and infrastructure improvements including an ambassador program and potential practice wall.
Denise Sabona, president of Valley County Pickleball, told the Valley County Board of Commissioners on May 12 that the new McCall courts are in heavy daily use and that the club plans free programming, tournaments and facility improvements this summer.
Sabona said as soon as conditions allowed "nets were up, bleachers were up, and those courts are being used, as we speak." The club will offer free community kids clinics (moved to July), monthly one-on-one sessions, weekly ladies' play, free round robins, Friday-night mixers and the McCall Splash fundraiser tournament in June and September. The club has redesigned its website to publish real-time schedules and make registration easier.
Sabona said the club is withholding a portion of the contractor's payment because it is not satisfied with the court surfacing and some paintwork. "We have held a portion of their payment," she said, and added that the contractor has committed to returning to resurface and repaint the courts. The county and club expect resurfacing to take about five to seven days; the target window is either the last week in May or the first week in June, during which the courts will be unavailable.
The club also described an ambassador program (volunteer members identifiable by hats) to guide newcomers about court rotation, parking passes and scheduling. Sabona said the club is considering installing a practice wall on one existing fence to give players—including those with limited mobility—a way to practice when courts are otherwise unused. The club said it will monitor any noise impacts and remove the wall if it becomes a problem.
County Recreation Director Larry Laxton confirmed coordination with county services regarding dust control and maintenance. Club representatives said they have collected more than $7,500 to oil a nearby road and plan to oil it three to four times this year, timed with road-department maintenance runs to control dust from vehicle traffic.
Commissioners praised the courts as a successful public–private partnership and asked staff to verify permit conditions and contractor obligations for the site. Sabona said the club will continue outreach to ensure broad community access to the facility.
No formal action was taken by the commission during this presentation; the item was an informational update.
