A new partnership may bring new pickleball courts to Sequim sooner than planned.

The Sequim Family Advocates, which pioneered the Albert Haller Playfields north of Carrie Blake Park, signed a sponsorship agreement with the Sequim Picklers on May 26 to bring the group in under its 501(c)3 status for fundraising.

The Picklers seek upwards of $216,000 for eight new outdoor courts tentatively built in Carrie Blake Park in 2016.

JoAnne Yerkes, past chairman of the Picklers’ facility committee, said they’ve been looking for a nonprofit partnership like this since January.

“From day one, the Sequim Family Advocates have been so supportive,” Yerkes said.

Dave Shreffler, president of the Advocates, said its board unanimously approved the move.

“Their vision of an outdoor pickleball complex is consistent with SFA’s mission to advocate for recreational opportunities for children and families in Sequim and eastern Clallam County,” he said.

For several years, the Picklers have played on five converted basketball courts at Sequim Community School, but players say they’ve outgrown the courts and they have obstacles like basketball hoop poles and drop-offs from pavement to grass to avoid.

“(The school district) has been kind enough for us to use half-court basketball courts but it’s not really suited for the number of people there and the type of play that we have,” said Debbie Madden, chairman of the Picklers group.

Funding

So far, the Picklers have received nearly $50,000 in pledges from players and the new partnership allows the group to begin a fundraising campaign for “tournament quality courts,” Madden said.

Yerkes said the Picklers plan to approach the City of Sequim in June during its budget season to request matching funds.

The Sequim City Council acknowledged the need for pickleball courts by adopting the Parks and Recreation Master Plan in February, which plans to allocate $150,000 to build courts in 2016 at Carrie Blake Park. However, the city historically spends about $100,000 a year on parks improvements.

City Parks Manager Joe Irvin said the City of Sequim won’t be able to make up the whole difference but some funding will be proposed in the 2016 Capital Improvement Plan.

“It would be ideal to build eight courts at once but what’s ideal isn’t always doable right away,” Irvin said. “We might have funds to do four and they break it into a two-phase project. That would definitely be more realistic for the city to be involved.”

Irvin said the city and Picklers could combine funds and seek state matching dollars in 2016 as well.

The Picklers also have applied for grants including a community project request grant sponsored by state Rep. Steve Tharinger through the Legislature and they plan to apply again next year, Yerkes said.

Players also formed a sub-committee to outreach to businesses and they created an online fundraiser at www.gofundme.com/sequimpicklers.

Players said they hope to reduce the overall cost with donations and in-kind services for construction, too. “We think it’s definitely doable to have it constructed next year, especially if the community gets on board,” Yerkes said.

To make a tax-deductible donation, contact Katinka Nanna at 681-8554 (katinka@nikola.com) or Lee Bowen at 565-6502 (hleebowen@gmail.com).

Location

Earlier this year, a committee of pickleball players sought out ideal locations for new courts.

Jan Tatom, a founding member of the Picklers, said the City of Sequim offered a site at Carrie Blake Park, which is the group’s first choice, and SARC has offered a site, too.

Irvin said the city’s Parks and Recreation Plan states Carrie Blake Park is the desired location for new pickleball courts.

“I’m beginning the process of doing a master site plan of Carrie Blake Park which will look at incorporating all the uses into the master plan,” he said. “I’ll create a conceptual rendering that shows all of the proposed changes in landscapes like where tennis courts and pickleball courts would go and where the playground would go from one side of the driveway to the other.”

The city’s Master Parks Plan also calls for new tennis courts to be built in 2017-2018 valued at $225,000.

Irvin said the plan would allow for up to four new tennis courts and eight new pickleball courts.

His idea would place some courts on the west side of Carrie Blake Park’s parking lot by the skateboard park and the other on the east side of the lot.