Covered Pickleball Courts Capital Project • Camano Park Facility Proposition
Prepared by: CSPA Covered Courts Steering Committee.

1. Project Overview & Logistics

Where will these courts be located?
The facility will be built on existing Island County property within Camano Park, positioned 150 feet north
of the current tennis/pickleball courts on the north side of the Multipurpose building. No land acquisition is
required, securing the facility as a long-term public recreation asset.
 

When will the courts be completed and ready for play?

• With State Grant Funding: Facility design is scheduled to begin in late 2026, permitting in 2027, bidding

     in early 2028, and construction completed thereafter.

• Without State Grant Funding: If the pending grant is not awarded, the project timeline will be adjusted

     based on private fundraising, with target completion potentially by the end of 2027.

Who is leading the design and construction?
While the Camano Stanwood Pickleball Association (CSPA) is driving the fundraising, Island County is the
lead project sponsor. The County will manage the official design, permitting, bidding, and construction
oversight in accordance with Washington State public works laws, with close collaboration from the CSPA
steering committee.

How many courts are being built, and what are the features?
There will be four fenced and gated courts. To ensure maximum accessibility, one of the four courts is
specifically designed for wheelchair play, featuring an extra 5 feet of margin space on all sides. The design
also incorporates Handicap Parking and ADA entrances.

Will the courts be covered and lighted?
Yes. The courts will feature a covered pavilion structure but will not be fully enclosed. They will be
equipped with energy-controllable LED lighting systems built to USA Pickleball Tournament Standards,
ensuring viability for night play.

Is there parking available?
Yes. Existing parking spaces in front of and next to the site are sufficient, meaning no additional parking
infrastructure needs to be built.

How do these compare to the Blackburn courts at Skagit Valley College?
The design is highly inspired by the Blackburn facility but scaled down to 4 courts instead of 10.

Why can’t you just cover the existing tennis courts?
The current courts are tightly bounded by the little league ball field to the west, a medical building to the
south, and a parking lot to the east. There is simply not enough clearance to install a roof structure without
impacting those facilities.

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2. Financials, Budget & Capital Campaign

Who is paying to build this facility?

• Island County: Is donating the underlying land (estimated value around $1.5 million). The County has

      budgeted $220,000 to fund 100% of the design phase via its 2026 Capital Improvement Program (CIP).

• CSPA & Grants: CSPA is applying for government and foundation grants (including a pending WA

       State RCO grant) alongside a corporate and private capital campaign.

What happens if there are construction cost overruns?
The budget includes inflation contingency indexing. If final competitive bids exceed funding, partners will
explore value engineering, delaying nonessential features, or extended fundraising.

What is Plan B; if the full $1.5 million is not raised?
The primary goal remains a complete 4-court covered facility. If fundraising falls short, the steering
committee will look into public contribution adjustments or value engineering while preserving core public
access.

What happens to my donation if the project is terminated?
When donating or making a pledge, donors have the choice to specify whether their gift is to be refunded
(minus pro-rated incurred project costs) or reallocated to the CSPA General Membership fund for future
operating expenses and courts projects.

Is my donation tax deductible?
Yes. CSPA is a qualified 501(c)(3) Non-Profit entity operating for the public good. CSPA is conducting a
charitable fundraising campaign to advance its exempt mission by helping fund the development of a
publicly owned pickleball facility. Under an agreement with Island County, CSPA will transfer the funds
raised for that charitable project to Island County, subject to the terms and conditions of the project
agreement.

How are campaign funds managed and tracked?
All campaign gifts are isolated in a dedicated capital campaign account separate from general CSPA
operations. Tracking and donor transparency are managed using specialized donor software (Little Green
Light). Filings like our annual Form 990 are available upon request.

Are CSPA Board Members financially contributing?
Yes. All CSPA Board members are dedicated to this initiative and have committed to making meaningful
personal donations to the capital campaign.

How can I make a financial donation right now?
We have secure payment methods active on our website at www.camanopickleball.com to accept multiple
asset types easily:

• Digital Payments: ACH Bank Transfers, Credit Cards, and pledge forms available online.

• Physical Checks: Direct mail or drop-off options.

• Securities & Stock Exchange: Dedicated account set up through Garde Capital and Charles Schwab

       for the transfer of stocks.

• Tax-Optimized Giving: Major tax savings are available via direct charitable distributions from an IRA,401(k), annual Required Minimum Distributions (RMD), active Life Insurance policies, Donor AdvisedFunds (DAF), or commercial annuities.
   

3. Community Impact & Operations
Who is allowed to use these courts once open?
The facility will be open to the public including youth, families, seniors, working adults, beginners and
advanced players, and people with disabilities. At least one of the four courts will strictly be kept open for
public play at all times.

Will CSPA members receive priority play rights?
Yes. CSPA will negotiate an operating agreement with Island County for designated Priority Play windows
(proposed for morning and evening blocks) covering 3 of the 4 courts.

What will the operational hours be?
The proposed operating hours are from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM, seven days a week.

Will the community still have access to the old tennis/pickleball courts?
Yes. Existing access to the current 6 shared courts remains unchanged. Expanding to 10 total courts
significantly increases local capacity and accommodates hosting regional tournaments.

Who manages and maintains the courts day-to-day?

• Ownership & Management: Island County will serve as the public owner and operator, providing

       structural, electrical and court surface maintenance, safety management, and overall park operations.

• Operations &Maintenance: Ongoing maintenance is a shared responsibility. CSPA will support the

       county by coordinating volunteers, player rotations, clinics, tournaments, court cleaning and other
       minor cleanup through an official operating agreement.

What measures will prevent vandalism or misuse?
The facility will utilize perimeter fencing, gates, and posted rules signs. Security is strongly aided by the
Island County Sheriffs Camano field office, situated just 250 yards south of the courts.

Why does this project matter to non-pickleball players?

• Economic Boost: Daily/weekly play during inclement weather will benefit local restaurants, grocery

       stores, coffee shops, etc., as many are located nearby. Furthermore, hosting regional tournaments
       brings out-of-town players who spend money at local restaurants, retail stores, art galleries, and short-
       term rentals (VRBO/Airbnb).

• Community Health: It expands free, accessible, year-round all-weather exercise spaces for families,

       youth, and seniors in the Camano/Stanwood area who want to play or learn how to play pickleball.

• Community Pride: The new facility will be a source of pride to the overall community and stand as an

       architectural delight to passersby.

• Property Value & Assets: It upgrades the infrastructure of Camano Park, creating a new multi-

       generational asset for local citizens and Camano Island visitors.

What is the steering committees track record?
Island County brings robust public works experience, legal procurement systems, and professional
engineering staff. CSPA provides deep community roots, user coordination, and fundraising capacity. The
joint committee features local experts in finance, marketing, business law, architecture, non-profit
governance, and construction.

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4. How to Get Involved

How can I volunteer to help?
There are many facets of fundraising, and volunteer assistance is needed to lighten the workload for all
and achieve our community goal. Help is specifically needed in grant research, donor contact, social
media management, event planning, presentations, tracking, graphics, and drafting correspondence.
To volunteer or engage with the project steering committee, please reach out to:

• Ivan Cross: ivan.crossjr@gmail.com

• Stephen Heil: stephen.heil@comcast.net

• Tim Jones: president@camanopickleball.com

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Have More Questions? Email us at
courtsproject@camanopickleball.com