Central Virginia Pickleball Fundraiser Auction: Central Virginia Pickleball will hold a silent auction to raise money for major upgrades to the Darden Towe Park pickleball courts in Charlottesville, Virginia. The auction opens Saturday at noon and runs until October 4. Funds will help transform the site into a modern facility for the fast-growing sport.
How the Auction Works
Donors can bid on a variety of items, including a chance to sponsor a corner court at the new complex with a starting bid of $5,000. Other auction options include gift cards to local businesses and restaurants, travel packages, and pickleball lessons.
Project Details
The $75,000 project will renovate the current pickleball and tennis courts to create 12 dedicated pickleball courts. Plans include new surfaces, repainted lines, four-foot walls between each court, and a six-foot wall dividing the front and back courts. The Darden Towe Park Advisory Committee approved the project on March 11.
Progress So Far
Central Virginia Pickleball has already raised $45,000 toward the goal, project leader Teddy Hamilton told Cville Right Now. The group is working with the Albemarle County Parks Foundation to secure the remaining funds.
Budget Challenges
According to Central Virginia Pickleball, Albemarle County Parks and Recreation receives only 1% of the county’s annual budget. “That leaves very little room for recreational capital projects,” the organization said on its website. “The few dollars that are available right now are going toward infrastructure work—like roads and parking—at the new Biscuit Run Park. This means projects like ours need to rely on community support to become a reality.”
Previous Efforts
In 2021, the park’s advisory committee voted unanimously to convert two tennis courts into six pickleball courts. Central Virginia Pickleball raised $20,000 to complete that earlier project.
Looking Ahead
If the silent auction meets its goal, construction will move forward to give the community a state-of-the-art pickleball complex, helping meet the demand for more court space as the sport continues to grow.
News in Brief: Central Virginia Pickleball Fundraiser Auction
Central Virginia Pickleball is hosting a silent auction from Saturday to October 4 to fund a $75,000 upgrade at Darden Towe Park in Charlottesville. The project will create 12 dedicated pickleball courts. The group has raised $45,000 so far and needs community support to reach its final goal.
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