A partnership between the Town of Lamont and the Lamont Curling Club helped ensure a very successful pickleball season this year.
The Town’s pickleball program allowed anyone interested in playing to join the fun for free from June 18 to their final night of the year Sept. 10.
Pickleball in Lamont wound up attracting dozens of players, including whole families where kids had just as much fun as their parents.
Lamont’s Community Development Coordin-ator, Dave Taylor, said it was the first year the town held their pickleball season inside the Lamont Curling Club, verses the town’s arena, and the arrangement was perfect.
“Anyone can do it from little kids to older adults. It’s kind of a cross between ping pong and tennis,” said Taylor. “I’ve seen grandparents, parents and grandkids all come to play.”
Taylor said three courts have been permanently painted onto the concrete surface in the curling club, which will not interfere with the curling ice being laid down next month. The Pickleball program will use the curling club during the off months after the ice has been removed.
“It just worked out perfectly to put three courts in here. We bought the nets last year for the pilot program and invested in the paint (to paint the court lines),” he said.
Taylor said a group of three pickleball enthusiasts, Barb Burger, Jean Stacey and Ed Medynski, have volunteered to help pickleball nights run smoothly while offering tips and advice for new players.
Taylor said he anticipates the program increasing in popularity and is excited for the next season.
“The Town is 100% committed to working with our volunteer group again, and offering the facility to use for pickleball all summer,” he said adding he hopes to start earlier next year.
“We should be able to start up maybe in May.”
Jana Semeniuk, Staff Reporter
