VPA Obtains $250,000 Capital Grant From The BC Gaming Commission

$250,000 Capital Grant Provided to Vernon Pickleball Association
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Vernon Pickleball Association, Vernon BC, January 30, 2024:
 
The BC Gaming Commission has approved a $250,000 capital grant to the Vernon Pickleball Association (VPA). These much needed funds will help with the construction costs for a reception centre as part of the VPA’s awesome OWA Pickleball Complex. The new reception centre called Herrmann House is dedicated to the late Wally Herrmann, a VPA founding member. The 2300 square foot building is attached to the existing 12 court pickleball enclosure located at Marshall Field in Vernon.  The Herrmann House will add permanent washrooms, a registration area, meeting room, office and a footwear change area. The construction project is expected to be completed in early June. 

The Phase I outdoor facility cost $750,000 and opened in August 2018. In the spring of 2021, the VPA enclosed the pickleball courts to allow year round play. This Phase II cost a further $1,450,000. The Herrmann House final Phase III will cost close to $1,000,000 bringing the total facility cost to $3.2 million. Rob Irving, the grant application author, said “this last phase was required in part because the BC building code required us to have permanent washrooms integral to our building. Secondly, this very active club needs all the other components of the reception centre for its daily operation. With the rapidly increasing cost of construction, we could not complete all the essential components without the $250,000 cash infusion from the BC Capital Gaming grant.  The funds are greatly appreciated.   The thousands of volunteer hours by our talented members are also essential to the completion of this project and the on-going operation of the club. In addition to the volunteer hours, the VPA members have contributed an astounding $2.3 million via debentures (loans), donations, pre-paid club credits and through court fee & tournament revenues.  Most of this funding was done when we had 400 members. Now the membership has ballooned to 1200!” Since 2017, local governments have provided $500,000 towards the project plus the City of Vernon looked after the project’s Development Cost Charges (DCCs).

The end result is a tremendous community asset that will serve Greater Vernon younger and older pickleball players for decades to come.  Currently 1200 club members and many public players enjoy about 100,000 pickleball playing hours annually in the OWA Pickleball Complex.  It’s a busy facility operating 12 hours a day, 363 days a year.  Pickleball is an amazing community building, inclusive social sport that is having a positive impact, both physical and mental, on a large number of people in our community.  We sincerely thank BC Gaming for this timely funding contribution.

The Vernon Pickleball Association was recently voted “Canada’s Best Pickleball Club for 2023”.  In July of this year, the VPA will host the Western Canada Regional Pickleball tournament for over 600 of the best pickleball players from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC.
Further information on pickleball, the Vernon Pickleball Association and the Herrmann House Project can be found at:    www.vernonpickleball.com

​Further information on what makes pickleball unique can be found at:
 https://sportsedtv.com/blog/what-makes-pickleball-different-than-any-other-sport
 
VPA Contact : Brent Bolin, President      [email protected].  (250) 439-8376

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