MOUNT DORA BUZZ
  • Home
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Business & Real Estate
    • Outdoor Life
    • Government & Education
    • Real Estate Buzz
    • Kindness Matters
    • Health & Wellness
    • Profiles
    • Newsworthy
    • What's Hot...
    • Who Knew?
  • Calendar
  • Festivals & Events
    • Holiday Event Guide
    • Annual Festivals
    • Monthly Events
  • The Best of....
    • Best of Mount Dora
    • Best of Eustis
    • Best of Tavares
    • Best of Mount Dora Take-out
  • Things to Do
  • Dining
  • Live Music
  • Lodging
  • Photos
    • Doors of Mount Dora
    • City Scenes
    • Views from Above
    • Palm Island Boardwalk
    • July 4th Americana
    • Vintage Photos
    • Donnelly House
    • Sydonie Mansion
    • The Howey Mansion
  • History
  • Mobile App
  • COVID-19 Resources
  • Contact
    • News Desk
    • Advertising Inquiries
    • Writing Services & Content Marketing
    • Design Services
    • Submit Pic of the Day
  • Subscribe

Government & Education

MOUNT DORA ADVISORY COMMITTEE SENDS CLEAR MESSAGE AGAINST N.E. PICKLEBALL COMPLEX

1/21/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
When the CIty of Mount Dora presented a preliminary concept to build 18-24 pickleball courts on land in the city’s Northeast Community, the reaction from the area’s advisory committee and the residents in attendance was a predictable mix of polite frustration, disappointment and perplexity.   

Pickleball courts, let alone the proposed tournament venue, didn’t resemble any of the stated priorities for Mount Dora’s historically lower income Northeast Community.   Rather, affordable housing and a community recreation and resource center with after-school activities were high on its lengthy ladder of needs. 

The idea for a pickleball tournament facility in the Northeast began when the City demolished its dilapidated Public Works building on the southeast corner of Lincoln Avenue and Highland Street which had blighted that community for several years.  

The demolition resulted in the 4.3 acre site in the Northeast being available for redevelopment, and since the land is adjacent to Lincoln Park’s western tennis courts, the expansion of recreational amenities was a logical proposal.   However, pickleball courts, let alone a tournament venue, did not align with the area’s priorities, according to all of the members of the Northeast Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Committee and residents in attendance at the committee's January 14th meeting.   

City of Mount Dora Director of Leisure Services, Amy Jewell, presented rough drawings at the meeting and stated the pickleball venue was in very early conceptual stages, but staff had been given the green light by the CIty Council to explore grants which could fund a pickleball complex at the site.  Jewell noted a $200,000 grant for pickleball courts could be pursued, plus Lake County’s matching grant program for projects that attract tourism to the county could also help fund the complex. Jewell’s intention was to seek input at the meeting from the members.  

Jewell stated that the City has 70 active pickleball players and they have been requesting more courts for two years, so when the new site became available in the Northeast, she thought it could be the solution.  The issue -- the Northeast Community has been patiently waiting to have its more basic priorities of affordable housing and a community center for children and adults for far longer than two years.  Additionally, those projects could positively impact a more diverse demographic and than just 70 part-time and full-time residents.

The Northeast CRA committee members, along with a few residents that spoke, were united in sending a firm message that the City missed an opportunity to present a concept that understood and addressed the specific priorities of the Northeast community.

The Lincoln Avenue site is walking-distance from the City’s public high school and middle school, so it uniquely lends itself to a recreational facility with after-school programs and resources for the Northeast Community, as well as the entire City. 

The Northeast CRA Advisory Committee members were unambiguous in their message that even if the City used other land for affordable housing, pickleball courts in that community were an ill-conceived idea.   The committee was also unified in expressing the desire for the City to be more diligent about understanding the community’s important and long-standing priorities.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, this month, click here.  Discover the area's online entertainment calendar here. Also download the area's free mobile app.  ​​
Sign up for Mount Dora Buzz
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Terms of Use
Copyright Mount Dora Buzz 2021



  • Home
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Business & Real Estate
    • Outdoor Life
    • Government & Education
    • Real Estate Buzz
    • Kindness Matters
    • Health & Wellness
    • Profiles
    • Newsworthy
    • What's Hot...
    • Who Knew?
  • Calendar
  • Festivals & Events
    • Holiday Event Guide
    • Annual Festivals
    • Monthly Events
  • The Best of....
    • Best of Mount Dora
    • Best of Eustis
    • Best of Tavares
    • Best of Mount Dora Take-out
  • Things to Do
  • Dining
  • Live Music
  • Lodging
  • Photos
    • Doors of Mount Dora
    • City Scenes
    • Views from Above
    • Palm Island Boardwalk
    • July 4th Americana
    • Vintage Photos
    • Donnelly House
    • Sydonie Mansion
    • The Howey Mansion
  • History
  • Mobile App
  • COVID-19 Resources
  • Contact
    • News Desk
    • Advertising Inquiries
    • Writing Services & Content Marketing
    • Design Services
    • Submit Pic of the Day
  • Subscribe