Dear Editor:

I am writing this letter on behalf of the Powell pickleball players. We have been told that we do not have an indoor place to play this winter because the armory is undergoing renovation. We are continuing to play at our outdoor courts near Westside school, as weather permits, but that will soon be coming to an end. The use of the nearby bathrooms are also now off limits to us because they have already been locked for the season.

During the winter months, we have as many as 16-18 pickleball players, with most of us being senior citizens. Most of us are available to play any time during the day or evening any day of the week and/or weekend, so scheduling court time somewhere for us shouldn’t be a problem. Most of us are unwilling to drive to Cody to play at the recreation center there, particularly driving there at night, early morning and on bad roads. In addition we have to pay fees to play there. It is not that we are unwilling to pay to play here in Powell, but at this time, we don’t even have an indoor place to play.  

We are petitioning the Powell Recreation District, our county commissioners or any other local Powell organization with facilities that would permit us to play pickleball there. What about the Homesteader Hall at the fairgrounds when it would not interfere with NWC’s use of the kitchen? After all, it is a county facility and all of us pickleball players are tax-paying citizens of Park County.  

Marynell Oechsner

Powell