Town and village agree on financial support for Potsdam pickleball courts

BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

POTSDAM — It seems the volley between the town and village over whether the town would support the village's newly constructed pickleball courts at Sandstoner Park may finally draw to a close.

The village board of trustees approved a proposed agreement at their meeting Dec. 5 between the two municipalities where the town would contribute money to help support the endeavor. In return town residents who wish to use the courts will pay the village recreation program a lower membership rate, $60 the same as village residents, instead of the $125 membership rate for non resident players.

The town board voted 3 to 2 last month to support the courts, after initially balking at the idea earlier this fall.

Under the agreement, which the village approved unanimously at their Dec. 5 meeting, the town will contribute $12,500 a year over five years starting Jan. 1. Maintenance and responsibility for the courts will fall to the village.

“I truly hope this can be a catalyst to a new relationship with the town for the recreation area,” said Village Administrator Greg Thompson at the village meeting.

“I know there’s differences between the town and the village but when we talk about recreation we’re talking about our kids and our kids are our biggest resource in northern New York as far as I’m concerned,” said Thompson.

“And let's keep that in mind when we make decisions. Let's make this a great place for children. Let’s give them a place to go, something safe and healthy to do and I’m hoping this can be just the step to bringing things back together again,” Thompson said.

“I like the idea of working collaboratively for the benefit of the public,” said Town Supervisor Ann Carvill at the town meeting last month during discussion on the issue.

During the town board’s discussion last month, Carvill said the money the town would contribute would be accounted for “scrupulously” by the village.

The popularity of pickleball has surged in recent years across the country.

Paradoxically, there are no pickles or other fermented vegetables used in the game whatsoever. Nor fermented beverages like one may find at a friendly or competitive round of horseshoes or the other currently popular adult recreation game, corn hole, which used to be called bean bag toss.

What looks like slow tennis to the uninitiated, is described by those who play pickleball as being like ping pong where the players are standing on the table. The game is known for being accessible to all ages and ability levels, which is part of the attraction for municipal recreation programs looking to engage with a broader sweep of local populations and provide programming for multiple demographics.

Local enthusiasm for the game and for the village courts is currently high. Sandstoner Park features six courts and is lighted for night play. Tournaments organized by the North Country Pickleball Club at the courts this summer drew players from all over the state.

The courts’ play schedule is currently managed through a website called PlayTime Scheduler, a free scheduling tool created exclusively for pickle ball and covers courts all over the United States.

Visit that website at https://bit.ly/3Dp8eMu .

To schedule court time at Sandstoner Park, players need to register for a free account on the website.