Message from the President
Well Hello San Carlos Pickleballers. Summer is heating up and hopefully everyone is finding ways to keep cool and play some Pickleball. Although many have skipped town for the hot summer months, plans are moving ahead in San Carlos and we are on pace to complete everything we need to before the annual winter migration begins.
After quite a bit of time planning, permitting, zoning, surveying, and shaking of one’s head, construction is in full swing and things are progressing. Courts are being constructed, funds are being collected for Phase 2 (bathrooms and lights, etc.), tournaments are being planned, and a myriad of other details are being worked out so that we can proudly claim that San Carlos will be the premier location for Pickleball in all of Latin America.
The courts will be dedicated and opened to the members come November 1st. Save the date and plan to be back in San Carlos to be a part of the big celebration. In addition to the dedication and blessing of the courts, we are going to have clinics from top players throughout the week. World renowned instructor and creator of the Dynamite Doubles system of play, Helle Sparre, will be returning to do some workshops. Coach David Alexander will be here as well doing group classes and personal instruction, and our very own National Champions, Belem Garcia and Mariana Fortes, will be offering clinics and classes throughout the grand opening week and beyond. We are going to have music, food, drinks, and a grand celebration fit for the newest and best Pickleball destination in Latin America.
The fun doesn’t stop after the grand opening celebration either. We are putting on a Grand Opening Tournament from November 18 – 21. This will be a full-scale, age/skill level tournament coordinated and directed by the San Carlos Pickleball Club. We are going to have new San Carlos Pickleball swag, the introduction of league play opportunities, and social events on and off the courts.
This is going to be an exciting season for Pickleball and for San Carlos. Can’t wait to see everyone soon and get our game on on our beautiful, new courts.
James Main, President
Please Help Make the Dream a Reality
You can help us build a beautiful 14 court pickleball facility here in sunny San Carlos.
The San Carlos Pickleball Association is building a world-class 14-court pickleball facility that will be the biggest and best pickleball complex in Latin America.
We don’t have any government funding and we need your help to make this dream a reality. Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated.
Several businesses and many individuals have already contributed to the project. We’ve raised enough funds to hire court specialists from Mexico City, Proyectos Deportivos, to build the courts and internal fencing and local contractors, Sanchez Construction, to do the prep work, build the foundation and now build the wall on 3 sides. The team from Proyectos Deportivos arrived in San Carlos last week and have started work on the first 3 courts. Sanchez Construction will soon start the perimeter wall.
We now need more funds to build the building at the front of the facility, finish the walkway down the middle of the courts, purchase lights, landscaping, etc.
This is a great Community Project and something that San Carlos can be proud of. Aside from being a place for exercise, fun and friendship and being a community hub, our goal is to be designated the Mexican National Pickleball Training Facility, supporting athletes of all generations.
We’ve created a GoFundMe campaign. Please donate now. Every little bit helps. Thank you in advance.
Please get in touch with me (Christa Thomas) at: christa@whatsupsancarlos.com if you would like to donate a more significant amount. We have several court sponsorships and commemorative bricks of various levels that recognize the donations that went above and beyond to make this project a success. You can have your name or business name on a court or on the sponsors’ wall. You can read more about it on our website.
Please consider buying a brick. Bricks will be prominently featured on a beautiful focal accent wall just inside the court entrance / exit. The following levels are available:
- $2500 USD or more (50,000 pesos) Platinum
- $1000 USD (20,000 pesos) Gold
- $500 USD (10,000 pesos) Silver
- $250 USD (5000 pesos) Bronze
Update from the Construction Committee
Yes, we’re on track for the Grand Opening on November 1, 2022. Hope to see you there!
What’s going on now? The two teams of Proyectos Deportivos and Sanchez Arquitectura are both busy working at the site. Proyectos Deportivos has started on the courts and Sanchez will start the wall August 24 when the bricks arrive (they’ve been ordered and paid for). Here’s a look back at some of the many milestones:
At the end of July, the team from Proyectos Deportivos arrived from Mexico City. They fine-tuned the compaction, slope and levels for the asphalt layer and are now pouring concrete dividers between what will be our asphalt courts. During this stage, they’re putting supports for the light posts and internal fences and installing drainage.
June 24: CFE installed our transformer and 3 poles to bring electricity to the facility.
Throughout May, Sanchez Arquitectura brought in truck loads of fill and compacted it. The fill was done in three different layers. The first layer is “Tierra base” mixed with gravel and is approximately 8 – 9 inches deep. The second layer, called “sub-base”, is also around 8 – 9” deep. We had this layer tested for proper compaction (at least 90%). The third and final layer is the “base”. This layer was also tested for compaction (at least 95%).
In March & April, Sanchez Arquitectura dug the trench for the foundation, poured the concrete footings, and laid the rebar then bricks for the retaining walls to bring them up to the court’s floor level.
Sanchez conducted a survey / topographical study to allow us to take into account things like water flow over the property and slope of the land. You can see from the architect’s rendering on the left, that the south side retaining wall had to be higher than the north to level the area (a very small slope remains to allow for water runoff) and we’re in the processes of installing a drainage system.
Grand Opening
Look for another newsletter in the next week with details on:
- the Grand Opening 5 day Celebration (November 1 – 5, we have lots of fun events planned for members),
- the Grand Opening Tournament November 18 – 21 and
- 2022 / 23 Membership.