700 Ventnor Pickleball Players Want Courts Repaired

Just one year after being repaired, Ventnor pickleball courts are slowly falling apart again.

A representative from Ventnor’s Pickleball Advisory Committee says the courts need a complete dig out and surface rebuild. From scratch. The basketball and tennis courts too. Most of the playground courts are in bad shape and getting worse. It’s not easy to build on top of a fluctuating water table and shifting sand.

Is there money available to fix? Ventnor has approx 700 picklers paying $75 per season. There’s about $52K right there.

Ventnor is also applying for a ‘recreation’ grant with the help of grant guru, Jim Rutala.

Public Pickle Perspectives:

Private Events. Summer picklers not thrilled with Ventnor Mayor Landgraf and Recreation Commissioner Kriebel allowing public pickleball courts to be closed for private events during three summer weekends. Plenty of complaints were registered.

Shade. During Summer 2023, Ventnor pickleball courts never received planned benches, shade awnings or umbrellas. Funds for these items were supposedly raised from various fees and events associated with the pickleball courts.

Ventnor’s new Business Admin is Tom Ciccarone, a former Brigantine City Manager. How will Ciccarone fix the problem?

Landgraf says city engineer Matt Doran, another Brigantiner, may have a temporary fix in mind for the cracking courts. Note: It’s been recommended that Ventnor get multiple bids and proposals for the court project, and not just rely on Doran’s plan.

Grant writer / consultant Jim Rutala is a force behind many new infrastructure projects in the Atlantic City region. Watch video:

Plaintiffs John and Barbara Costello, alleged defendants the City of Brigantine, Brigantine City Manager Thomas Ciccarone, Brigantine Councilman James Frugoli, and others successfully conspired to oust John Costello from his job as Director/Superintendent of the City’s Department of Public Works in retaliation for his efforts to remedy pervasive corruption and mismanagement in every department of that agency.