Cranbrook, BC (July 19, 2016) – Upgrades to the Gyro Park tennis courts and the development of four pickleball courts are complete thanks in large part to Columbia Basin Trust’s (the Trust) Recreation Infrastructure Grant program. The Trust grant of $120,000 made up the lion’s share of the overall project budget of $180,000.
“The upgraded tennis courts are a great addition to Gyro Park, and will provide many hours of entertainment to our local tennis and pickleball players,” says Mayor Lee Pratt. “Hopefully those new and improved courts will contribute to more participation in both sports by our citizens. Once the new playground equipment is installed, Gyro Park will once again be one of our premier parks for young and old alike.”
“Our recreation infrastructure grants support projects that help people to live more active, healthy lifestyles,” said Rick Allen, Columbia Basin Trust Manager, Special Initiatives. “We are excited to support Cranbrook’s tennis courts, and especially the new pickleball courts, as we know the residents of Cranbrook have identified these as priority recreation amenities for the community.”
The court refurbishment sees two of the original three courts restored to tennis, while the remaining court was converted to four pickleball courts.
Pickleball is a racquet sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis and table tennis and can be played by 2 to 4 people. As the courts are one quarter of the size of a regular tennis court, pickleball is quite appealing to both children and seniors.
“Pickleball is a sport that has been around since 1965 and while many folks have not heard of it, it has become one of the most requested recreation amenities for our City,” says Chris New, Director of Leisure Service for the City of Cranbrook. “The sport has gone through explosive growth in the US and the trend in Canada is quickly growing.”
The second component of the overall upgrades to Gyro Park is the replacement of the playground equipment. The new equipment, which is scheduled for installation in early August, is also funded through the Trust grant. The new equipment will be a combination of modular units and some stand-alone stations.