History

There were two courts and pickleball was starting to catch on as an easy game to learn and play. There were less than 2 dozen players.

Membership increased to approximately 30 members in 2010/2011 when the Silveridge pickleball club was formed and an executive appointed. By October 2011, Silveridge RV Resort built two more permanent courts.

The four old courts were demolished and replaced with four new beautiful and safe courts!

A fence was installed on the perimeter of the courts over the summer of 2015. The club began using the gazebo for members to gather between games. The club grew to over 163 active members by March 2016.

A fundraising campaign with bottle collections and basket raffles was launched. The Club added skill clinics, round robin play for different skill levels, referee training, an in-park tournament, more social events, and SignUpGenius—elevating operations to a new level. A new constitution was also drafted, and membership reached 199 by March 2017.

The executive improved the court schedule, providing everybody with equal playing time, practice time for tournament players and time for non-members to play. They implemented the six skill level groups. Membership was 195 in March 2018.

A new outdoor bulletin board and retractable sunscreens for the gazebo were installed.

Officers elected for a 1 year term were: Dave Etienne, President; Barry Halpenny, 1st Vice President; Rich Wilcott, 2nd Vice President; John Faktor, Treasurer; Allan Lepoudre, Secretary. The club continued to grow with a total of 239 members on March 31, 2019.

About 180 members attended clinics, a club shirt was designed, and the new website launched. Silveridge RV Resort management planned to install court lights in 2020 for night play. During the Annual General Meeting, the by-law was amended to add a Communications Officer to the executive.

Officers elected for a one-year term were: Mike Savre, President; Bonnie Arbez, 1st Vice President; Barry Halpenny, 2nd Vice President; John Faktor, Treasurer; Allan Lepoudre, Secretary; Donna Stensrud, Communications Officer. The March 14 tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19, as Canadian members were asked by their government to return home. Membership reached 224, including 59 new members and approximately 100 Canadians.

During the summer of 2020, the Executive created a COVID-19 Safe Pickleball Play Plan to ensure safe recreational play, implemented for the 2020/2021 season. The Club had no COVID-19 cases traced to pickleball. Few Canadians traveled back to Silveridge, and some Americans opted out due to COVID-19. Social events were cancelled, but evening play sessions grew popular with court lights: Monday ladies league and mixed doubles on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. The Annual General Meeting was held outdoors with 48 members, during which the annual fee increased from $10 to $15.

Officers elected for a one-year term were: Mike Savre, President; Bonnie Arbez, 1st VP; Barry Halpenny, 2nd VP; Jim Barker, Treasurer; Julie Nosko, Secretary; Donna Stensrud, Communications Officer. Membership reached 133, including 63 new members.

Despite COVID-19, organized play began on October 31, 2021. Clinics drew about 180 participants, and 3 King of the Hill and 2 double knock-out tournaments were held. A private Glow-in-the-Dark event took place on March 25. Club improvements included new medal court signs, public paddles, a timer clock, and gazebo bulletin boards. Round Robin Captains were introduced to guide play and welcome new members.

The Annual General Meeting had 140+ attendees, and officers elected for a one-year term were: Mike Savre, President; Bonnie Arbez, 1st VP; Barry Halpenny, 2nd VP; Jim Barker, Treasurer; Julie Nosko, Secretary; Donna Stensrud, Communications Officer. Membership reached 256, including 87 new members. Organized play ended April 1, 2022.

Winter Social Committee events and clinics attended by about 174 members took place. The Basket Raffle Committee sold approx. 2,000 tickets for 12 baskets across 3 events, and 112 players joined double knock-out tournaments. Improvements included new paddle racks, a gazebo sandwich board, a leaf blower, and a speaker system. Round Robin Captains facilitated play, and a 3.25 skill group was added in January. Evening play under the court lights remained popular. Since 2019, the Club Executive had advocated for more courts, and in March 2023, Silveridge RV Resort decided to convert one tennis court into four pickleball courts for the following season.

The Annual General Meeting had 145+ attendees, and officers elected for a one-year term were: Mike Savre, President; Bonnie Arbez, 1st VP; Barry Halpenny, 2nd VP; Debbie Nelson, Treasurer; Julie Nosko, Secretary; Donna Stensrud, Communications Officer. Membership reached 277, including 78 new members.

The season opened with several new additions. Four new courts (5–8) were completed, providing each skill group with four 2-hour play times. Silveridge RV Resort added AEDs with training in January 2024. Funded by the Renters Association, the club purchased a new ball machine, a second countdown clock, and a large shed. Clinics were offered for all skill levels, with David Ott, Greg Ott, and other 4.0+ members volunteering three days a week starting January. Mentors assisted 1.0–2.0 players during round robins. The Social Committee hosted six events. Volunteers, led by Tom Carli, worked on installing the new shed with electrical and shelving.

Officers elected for a one-year term were: Donna Stensrud, President; Julie Nosko, 1st VP; Tom Drouillard, 2nd VP; Debbie Nelson, Treasurer; Kendra Jensen, Secretary; Kathy Port, Communications Officer. Membership reached 303, including 85 new members.

The Renter’s Association funded a VAPTR court drying machine, and a donation from Drs. Brad Oliver and Lisa Friberg provided a Lobster Ball Retriever for ball machine sessions. The Social Committee hosted monthly activities, including season-opening and closing barbecues. Silveridge RV Resort added yellow fence guards, and the club installed bracing on courts 1–4; leftover materials were donated to the tennis club. Clinics remained well-attended, with Dave Ott’s workshops held Wednesday and Thursday nights starting in January.

New officers elected at the March 1, 2025 AGM were: Donna Stensrud, President; Julie Nosko, 1st VP; Tom Drouillard, 2nd VP; Debbie Nelson, Treasurer; Mike Gross, Secretary; Kathy Port, Communications Officer, now serving 2-year terms. Membership reached 290, with some round robin sessions hosting 24+ players.