Pickleball Club takes over lease at lawn bowling facility

The Merritt lawn bowling grounds are currently under renovation as four pickleball courts are being installed. Once complete the Merritt Pickleball Club will be taking over the lease for the grounds.

“The TNRD has given the City a $130,000.00 donation towards the construction of four pickleball courts at this location making it a shared use recreation facility,” said Recreation Manager Sky McKeown. “This agreement creates the opportunity to have a nonprofit club care for and utilize the building while providing hours of public use for both activities.”

Lawn bowling membership in Merritt has been decreasing in recent years with the Executive dissolving.

“The financial benefit of agreeing to this agreement, is that the Merritt Pickle Ball Club is responsible for the utility bills and the general upkeep of the building. This lease also gives the Merritt Pickle Ball Club the option to sublease out the facility for meetings or other approved income generating rentals which will allow them to build their building maintenance budget and cover repairs and replacements of material items,” added McKeown.