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Goal for project 5: Increasing access to community facilities

Estimated length: 3 years

Project managers: Michael Hawes and Kipling Ho

Components: Investigating of resources already available, providing plans and funding options for upgrading existing resources which are currently vacant or under used. We recognise that the biggest problem facing Pickleball in NSW is the shortage of playing facilities. Local Councils are generally short on facilities, and the existing facilities are dominated by netball, basketball, volleyball and badminton.

Initiatives (2024)

• Meet with state and local government members to establish relationships and raise awareness
• Determine a range of funding opportunities such as:
  • Grants from NSW and Federal governments
  • Naming sponsors
  • Licensed clubs in the area of the pickleball clubs seeking new venue funding either apply for their annual funding grant or approach to become a new sporting opportunity for their members with the venue being provided by them. They get major tax deductions if their donations to “community” groups exceed certain thresholds.
  • Potential high-flying investors
• Develop a plan for venue opportunities including:
  • Retirement/active senior villages (e.g. GemLife who is a PAA sponsor
  • Bowling Clubs - Lawn Bowls is a dying sport. There are three or four projects already happening with conversions of bowling greens to pickleball courts. Drysdale-Clifton Springs Pickleball Club in Victoria is playing on a disused bowling green - synthetic grass - as a stepping stone to demonstrate the economic attractiveness of pickleball. There are publicly owned and privately owned bowling clubs with many disused greens. Green maintenance is costly. Bowling clubs come with hospitality facilities.
  • Tennis clubs - can make more cash and actually attract more members
• Make recommendations for club framework on succession planning
• Determine what is required to help expand new venues and provide guidance in this area e.g.
  • What role should be performed by PANSW? Clubs?
  • Advice on how Clubs actually make it happen in their area
  • Providing advice on financial assistance
  • Providing advice on advantages of pickleball to Local Councils – players of all ages; health of seniors to reduce health care costs. (Health benefits of pickleball are well documented.)
  • Sports facilities get resources used in the daytime
• suggestions for committee members to prepare their own succession plan

Financial implications: case by case basis