History of Pickleball in the Comox Valley

In 2008 the Comox Valley hosted the BC Senior Games. Pickleball was hosted in Campbell River and one of our players Darlene Nelson went to see the game played. Play then started at the Native Sons Hall on two courts in Courtenay and Darlene took over the volunteering there. A few players then approached the Comox Community Centre for gym time and in 2009 pickleball play started there on four courts. As more people started playing, Comox added additional play times, lessons, inter-club play, and it became a hub for pickleball in the valley. The Comox Community Centre painted lines on the outdoor lacrosse box and bought portable nets. Also in 2009 Darlene and Wayne King petitioned the Courtenay Recreation Association to paint lines on the Martin Park Lacrosse box. They started with four because that was how many nets the CRA purchased. Not too long after the Filberg Seniors centre purchased two more nets and the two more courts were painted at Martin Park.

In 2014, four keen players had a vision to further organize and promote pickleball in the Comox Valley under one governing body and had a dream of dedicated outdoor pickleball courts. The founding members were Steve Chambers, Deborah Houston and Judy and Harold Osborne. In December of 2014 Comox Valley Pickleball Association was incorporated and a Board of Directors was formed which included Steve Chambers, Deborah Houston, Carol Bissell, Jenny Kennedy, Harold and Judy Osborne, Jaye Mathieu, Darlene Nelson and Dave Caouette. With great perseverance and many hours spent dealing with obstacles and delays, the Comox Valley Pickleball Association accomplished the completion of six new outdoor dedicated pickleball courts at the Rotary Highland location in Comox in 2019 thanks to the generous donations of the Rotary Club of Courtenay, the Town of Comox, School District 71, the Comox Valley Pickleball Association and a few personal donors, were built. Also, Martin Park in Courtenay was resurfaced in 2019 and there are 6 courts there as well.

CVPA Board Member History

Carol Bissell: 2015,16,17,18,19
Dave Caouette: 2015
Steve Chambers: 2015,16,17 (President all 3 years)
Del Christensen: 2018
Colleen Crowder: 2016,17,18,19,20,21
Ron Dumbarton: 2021,22,23
Rick Folk: 2018,19,20,21,22 (President all 5 years)
Sandra Gray: 2021,22
Rod Hamilton: 2017,18,19,20,21,22,23
Deb Houston: 2015,16,17,22
Heather Jenkins: 2022
Jenny Kennedy: 2015,16,17,18,19
Jane Kolmatycki: 2022,23
Jaye Mathieu: 2015,16,17,18,19,20,21
Darcy Miller: 2022,23
Darlene Nelson: 2015,16,20,21,22
Jill Nelson: 2022,23
Wayne Niemi: 2019,20,21
Harold Osborne: 2015,16
Judy Osborne: 2015,16,17,18,19,20,21
Russell Portigal: 2021,22,23
Shelley Sprenkels: 2023
Donna Turner: 2020,21,22,23
Tom Wilson: 2017