Sea Isle City won't charge fees for indoor pickleball courts

Pickleball players will only have to bring their paddles when the games begin inside Sea Isle City’s new community recreation center.

They won’t have to bring any money.

Responding to complaints from the public, Mayor Leonard Desiderio and City Council have decided that Sea Isle will not charge any fees for players to use the three pickleball courts in the community center when it opens soon.

Voting unanimously, Council gave final approval Tuesday to an ordinance that removed pickleball from the list of organized games, programs and activities that will include fees.

“We heard the concerns that were expressed about this matter and agree that this is the fairest way to handle it,” Desiderio said of the decision to drop the pickleball fees.

During the Jan. 13 Council meeting, three avid pickleball players who live in Sea Isle urged city officials not to charge any fees.

Cathy O’Brien, Maureen Renzi and Cheryl Borysowski argued that it would be unfair to charge fees and would likely discourage pickleball players from using the new courts inside the community center.

During her remarks, Renzi told Council that it is usually a struggle to find enough pickleball partners in the winter. Fees would have only made it even more difficult, she said.

“I want it to be a strong community center. We’re going to have a big, beautiful building, but I fear that it’s going to be empty,” Renzi said in an interview after the Jan. 13 Council meeting.

Before the ordinance was given final approval Tuesday, the city had proposed charging a pickleball fee of $5 per day and $100 per year for year-round Sea Isle residents or property owners.

The proposed fee would have been $150 per year, per person, for non-residents and non-property owners.

With the ordinance’s final approval Tuesday, those proposed fees have been wiped away.

“It’s only fair. This is all brand new to us. We’ve never had a building of this size and magnitude. Any time something is brand new, things change,” Desiderio said in an interview while explaining the reason for dropping the pickleball fees.

    When it opens soon, Sea Isle City's $21 million community center will feature an array of recreation, sports and community attractions.
  

Anyone using the community center when it opens will have to register for membership. They will not be allowed to use the facility if they don’t register.

Membership will be free for Sea Isle residents and property owners who make “general use” of the community center.

But fees will be required for non-property owners and non-year-round residents for the general use of the building. For them, fees will be $5 per day, $40 per month and $120 per year, per person.

Access to the community center for general use will include any open sessions in the gymnasium, scheduled basketball and volleyball games, use of the walking/running track, use of the exercise equipment next to the track and any free community activities, Desiderio said.

The city has released a list of fees that will be charged for using some of the community center’s facilities, including a golf simulator and some of the organized programs and activities.

The city has issued a detailed document on its website that explains everything that is planned for the community center, the hours the building will be open, the proposed fees and how to obtain a membership card.

City spokeswoman Katherine Custer noted that members of the public may call Sea Isle’s Recreation Department at (609) 263-0050 if they need help in registering.

Some residents who have already spoken to the Recreation Department have expressed their excitement about using the community center, Custer noted.

“There’s a lot of good buzz. We have a lot to look forward to,” she said.

The $21 million community recreation center is in the final stages of construction on Central Avenue and Park Road, between 45th and 46th streets. The city expects to announce the grand opening date soon.

“We’ll let everyone else know when we know,” Custer said.

The two-story building’s design reflects the facility’s dual role as a community center and recreation facility. There will be a large gymnasium, indoor walkway and workout space for recreation. The building will also include space that local community groups may use for meetings, events and other activities.

In addition to the basketball court, the gym floor will be striped for three pickleball courts and one volleyball court.

The indoor pickleball courts will only be available during the off-season months. When the weather turns warm, pickleball players will be able to use Sea Isle’s outdoor courts.

    Among the amenities, the community center includes a stage for events and shows. (Photo courtesy of Sea Isle City)