SUNDRE – Members of the growing Sundre Pickleball Association will have a much easier time finding relief when nature calls this season.
Sundre council recently approved by way of motion the organization’s request to extend the duration of portable toilets that are seasonally placed near the pickleball court at the local ball diamonds.
Eva Dombowsky and Marie Snippa, who are both members of the non-profit association, pled their case during a regular council meeting last month.
“We’re here today to ask if the portable toilets that are over at the ball diamonds could be left there for us to utilize until the end of September,” said Dombowsky, expressing gratitude for the fact the porta potty remains there until the end of June.
Providing some historical context, Dombowsky said the association had previously spearheaded the rehabilitation of the former tennis courts behind Sundre High School, which had gone largely unused for years and fallen into disrepair, with plans to continue improving the site.
“Outside of our pickleball times that we have during the summer, the courts are there for the public to use,” she said.
The organization believes the improvements to the property have by extension had a positive impact on the community’s health and well-being.
The group’s membership – boasting a current active wintertime base of almost 80 players with an average age of 62 – continues to grow and increases by 20 to 25 per cent during the summer when games are held on the outdoor court, she said.
“We’re older, we need bathrooms!” she said, eliciting a few laughs.
Per background information outlined in council’s agenda package, the portable toilets are annually installed in April through an agreement with Sundre Minor Ball, which pays the municipality to use the diamonds with additional fees collected for tournaments.
The porta potties are placed within a fenced-in area accessible only by a code lock for the duration of the ball season from mid-April to the end of June with the town covering the cost of the portable toilet.
“We actually supply the toilets for Sundre Minor Ball, they pay a user fee for that,” Benazir Thaha Valencia, director of community development, said in response to a council question, adding that includes the cost of servicing the porta potty through the season.
She told the Albertan in response to a follow-up question there are two units.
“They pay, per season, about $669.50,” she later added during follow-up questions. “That doesn’t include the other fees, the minor ball tournament fees, recreational team fees.”
The additional cost to the town to keep the portable toilets in place until the end of September would amount to $834.75, she said.
“We are happy to contribute some to that,” said Snippa, adding the association would be willing to pay the service fee or otherwise contribute toward a portion of the cost.
The town is already paying to put the porta potties in place for a couple months, and the request was simply to leave them there a while longer, she said.
“We do not pay for the property, but we are the only people that have enhanced the property and will continue to,” she later added.
Coun. Chris Vardas was the first to speak in favour of approving the request.
“I drive by that pickleball court every day, and this association’s done such a wonderful job on maintaining it and making it look good compared to what it used to be,” he said.
“It fits into what we try to do as one of our pillars for a healthy community and being active,” said Vardas.
Coun. Owen Petersen also supported the request but sought clarification with regards to whether access to the porta potties would be open to the public or only minor ball and the association.
Valencia said that per the agreement with minor ball, the lock on the fence is coded.
Although Petersen said he did not want to sidetrack the discussion and remained onboard with approving the request, the councillor added he would like to see more publicly available toilets.
“Public toilets are my favourite subject,” he said to laughter, adding they play an important part in helping to keep people outside and being active.
Coun. Jaime Marr supported the request but suggested further discussing the matter during a planning session to work the expense into the budget so that it could be addressed once and for all without becoming an annually recurring matter.
Following further discussion, council ultimately carried a motion with Coun. Todd Dalke opposed to cover the cost up to $1,530.37 including GST plus the $85 delivery and pickup to be negotiated with administration and the association, with the funds to be drawn from the community services stabilization restricted surplus account.
