Lane Community College is poised to become the central pickleballing hub in the Pacific Northwest as it plans to complete a groundbreaking $5 million complex, thanks to the efforts of the Emerald Valley Pickleball Foundation and the support of Travel Lane County, Oregon.
Escalating Demand
Eric Wold, a board member of the Emerald Valley Pickleball Foundation, highlighted the necessity for such a facility due to the escalating demand for the sport across the region:
“Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country, and it has been for the last three years. The growth has been so rapid that communities don’t have enough courts to meet the demand for the number of people who want to play,” he said.
The Emerald Valley PF has over 700 members, according to its website!
“Eugene and Springfield are no different in that we have very few outdoor courts. On a nice day when the temperature is above 45 degrees, and it’s not raining, the courts will be packed with up to 40 or 50 people waiting to get on the courts to play.”
A Staggering $5 Million
The complex, which costs a staggering $5 million, will boast 24 courts, including 10 covered ones, making it the largest of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. While a portion of the funding is secured through a voter-approved tax levy and various fundraising initiatives, Travel Lane County has further bolstered the project with a generous $50,000 contribution from its charitable fund.
Andy Vobora, Vice President of Stakeholder Relations for Travel Lane County, supports a project that promises both public benefit and tourism opportunities throughout the year:
“Travel Lane County recently established the Travel Lane County charitable fund, which is a 501(c)(3) that really looks to fund projects around the community that have a public benefit,” he says.
“We saw that pickleball facility being developed by the Willamette Valley was really the perfect fit for this first donation as we introduce this new charitable fund.”
An Attractive Venue For Hosting Tournaments
Moreover, the facility’s versatility, offering year-round indoor play, positions it as an attractive venue for hosting tournaments, further enhancing its appeal to visitors and locals alike.
Vobora says tourism the project will have a beneficial effect on tourism across Lane County: “We’re really excited to bid on tournaments that might come here. Because of the indoor space, you can use it year-round, and that really has us excited because during the winter, we don’t have as many visitors here,” he said.
“That type of project has a public benefit and a tournament opportunity for us to sell against, which are the types of projects that we’re looking to invest in, so this pickleball facility being developed at Lane Community College really fits the bill.”
“Appeals To All Ages”
Wold added the project would satisfy the increasing demand for pickleball in the greater Springfield-Eugene area, but other benefits could also come from the new facility:
“The great thing about pickleball is that it appeals to people of all ages and all physical abilities,” he says. Many people want to play to get all of the physical, mental, and community engagement benefits, and this complex will offer that for the community.
Growing The Sport’s Community Presence
Dalen Buckley-Noonan, an avid pickleball enthusiast, echoed the sentiment and noted how the courts would grow the sport’s community presence:
“I think it’s brilliant. I think it’s something that we really need in the community. Having more courts, especially for a community that has a massive pickleball-playing population, will be something that’s going to grow the sport in the area and also help people get into the sport as well.”
With fundraising efforts underway and a targeted timeline for construction, the Emerald Valley Pickleball Foundation aims to break ground in May 2025, with completion scheduled for the fall of the same year.
Those eager to contribute to this transformative project are encouraged to support the foundation through donations on its website.
