May 2023 THE CHARBONNEAU VILLAGER 3
Sports Center
By JOHN MCLAIN AND KATHI GRAY
Two leadership groups merge into one
As spring is attempting to emerge from its winter sleep , the reimagining of Charbonneau continues to march on . We are still
MCLAIN awaiting the permit for
the new Charbonneau Sports Center in order to begin the threemonth construction project . The permitting process in Wilsonville appears to be stuck in the winter doldrums !
GRAY Over the past couple of years , Jim Meierotto and the CCC Board have been working with two leadership groups ( advisory boards of residents ), one for tennis and another for pickleball . The initial discussions were about how the two very different sports cultures could share courts in the same facility . However , the focus and discussions have evolved to a point where the two advisory boards feel a single administrative and leadership board is preferable to having two separate boards .
� Part of this evolution is that many residents who are tennis members have now joined as a pickleball membership too — they are playing both sports . So now we have a growing number of advisory board members who play both sports , while others play only tennis or only pickleball . It is no longer useful to try to classify members only in a tennis versus pickleball framework .
� Another reason for evolving to a single advisory board is that both sports are able to grow membership and playing time for both sports , especially in the winter and other extreme weather conditions ( too hot , too cold , too wet , etc .) The indoor facility , when added to the existing tennis center building , will provide four indoor courts for tennis and at other times four indoor courts for pickleball , regardless of outdoor weather conditions . Both sports are benefiting from the expanded sports center facilities .
The two advisory boards voted to merge , and this was recommended by Jim Meierotto to the CCC Board in March , and the request was approved unanimously . We are very excited to include pickleball as part of the active Charbonneau lifestyle . The two clubs feel the combined boards will bring continuity and a focus on Charbonneau community to the management of the new facility .
Kathi Gray : On a personal note , this journey started for me over five years ago when the need for more indoor courts could not be achieved . The desire to cover the two outdoor courts was certainly there , so when this opportunity began to take shape and the CCC board was dedicated in updating Charbonneau , it was a perfect fit . I am thankful and proud of all the hard work so many people have put in on this goal . Merging ideas and goals is not always easy . A special thank you to Debbie Stonebraker and other resident leaders who ignited the spark to bring the pickleball club to fruition . I too have joined as a new pickleball member , I look forward to meeting many more great Charbonneau residents !
John McLain : As a CCC Board member , and the liaison to the Sports Center , I am excited that we can significantly expand the resident opportunities to play pickleball at Charbonneau . The pickleball membership was recently reported at 166 members , and tennis at 185 , for a total of 351 members that will be sharing the Charbonneau Sports Center . This amenity for residents has undergone a significant change in resident use of this facility . Growth in pickleball membership is restricted to residents , so growth in resident use will likely further increase after the new building is completed later this year .
Resident Use of Sports Center : � Past Years : 25 % tennis only
� Now : 75 % tennis + pickleball � Future : 85 % tennis + pickleball
Total membership using the facility will have grown from 185 in past years to about 500 in the years to come . This is a good investment by the CCC Board that benefits all residents who feel amenities , such as a sports center , have a positive benefit on the value of ownership in Charbonneau . It also is supported by user fees that will cover the operating costs and contribute to reserves .