Andrew Miles is the Director of Recreation for Margate. According to Miles, local pickleball activity had some growing pains over the past few months.
Even so, most Margate players were very happy with how things turned out for pickleball during the Summer of 2022.
To deal with growing crowds, Margate and Ventnor both implemented a smart phone app that DownbeachBUZZ highly recommends. It’s called ‘Court Reserve‘.
While not the perfect solution, the Court Reserve app made life much easier for those managing the courts… and those playing on the 6 courts in Margate, and 9 courts in Ventnor.
(Editor’s note: COURT RESERVE app continues to innovate and improve)
Speaking of Ventnor, much praise for those who managed the friendly Ventnor courts along the boardwalk this past summer.
Many thanks to Ventnor City employees: Kelly, Theresa, Matt and Lisa. A tough job for sure.
Ventnor’s Pickleball Advisory provided valuable input to Tina Prickett, the city’s new Director of Recreation.
Prediction: Watch Ventnor and Margate increase 2023 summer pickleball membership fees from $60 to $75 per year. This would presumably be used for court management, repairs, upgrades, benches, shade umbrellas, etc.
Ventnor plans to upgrade it’s courts. In Oct, we should see new fencing that separates the 6 main courts.
It’s unknown if the cracking court surface will either be repaired, or torn up and replaced.
Rumor mill: Will Ventnor add more pickleball courts? If so, where?
Note: EHT is ready to launch new, public, outdoor courts soon. Atlantic City still dragging their feet with outdoor pickleball courts at Bader Field.
Later this year, watch for the grand opening of Pro Shot Pickleball, a state of the art, indoor facility located at the site of the former Shore Mall in Egg Harbor Twp.