[00:00:01]
I WORK FOR THE, UH, PARISH PRESIDENT'S OFFICE, JEFFERSON PARISH, AND I WANNA WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY FOR THIS BRAND NEW, BEAUTIFUL PICKLEBALL COMPLEX IN JPRD.
WE'RE, WE'RE THRILLED TO OFFICIALLY OPEN THIS INCREDIBLE FACILITY.
IF THIS IS A TRUE EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN LEADERSHIP, COMMUNITY, AND PASSION COME TOGETHER, THIS PROJECT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE VISION AND SUPPORT OF OUR PARISH PRESIDENT, CYNTHIA LEE CHANG AND COUNT, AND COUNCILMAN DINO BONANNO.
AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE OUR PARISH PRESIDENT TO COME SAY HER REMARKS.
AND IT'S A BIG DAY FOR OUR RECREATION TEAM.
UM, I WANNA, UH, INTRODUCE COUNCILMAN DINO BONANO, OUR COUNCIL CHAIR, SCOTT WALKER, BIG JOHN ILL, BIG JOHN.
THIS IS YOUR DISTRICT, RIGHT? YES.
AND HE'S BEEN, UM, ASKING ME ABOUT THIS COMPLEX THE WHOLE TIME.
UM, BEFORE I REALLY WANNA THANK, UM, COUNCILMAN BONANO.
UH, LOOK ABOVE THIS INCREDIBLE COVER.
VERY EXPENSIVE COVER, 800 AND $900,000.
I THINK COUNCILMAN BONANO, UM, WAS BECAUSE MANY OF YOU APPROACHED COUNCILMAN BONANO, WHO HAD NEVER PLAYED AND SAID, WE NEED SHADE.
WE CANNOT BE OUT IN THE BLISTERING SUN PLAYING.
AND WITHOUT EVEN PLAYING, HE KNEW HIS CONSTITUENTS, WHAT HIS CONSTITUENTS WANTED, AND HE GOT US THIS COVER.
AND HE'S, AND HE'S A NEW PLAYER, RIGHT? HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU PLAYED? HALF DOZEN.
SO YOU'LL SEE HIM ON THE COURT TODAY.
GRAB, GRAB A GAME WITH, UM, COUNCILMAN BONANNO.
I WANNA THANK OUR RECREATION TEAM.
THIS WHOLE COMPLEX IS BROUGHT TO YOU FROM A VISION THAT OUR RECREATION DEPARTMENT HAD TO NOT TO OPEN IT UP TO NEW SPORTS.
LET'S NOT DO THESE COOKIE CUTTER PROGRAMS ACROSS THE PARISH.
27 PROGRAMS. LET'S HAVE CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR EACH SPORT THROUGHOUT THE PARISH.
MARIO, UM, IS A VERY VISIONARY THINKER.
WHERE IS MARIO? THANK YOU, MARIO.
I, EVERYBODY THINKS BECAUSE THE PARISH PRESIDENT LOVES PICKLEBALL, WE HAVE THIS FACILITY PICKLE THAT IS, I WISH I HAD THAT MUCH CONTROL OVER THAT MUCH RESOURCES.
UM, I STARTED PLAYING A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, OKAY, OCTOBER OF 2023.
MARIO AND HIS TEAM HAD THE VISION BACK IN 20 20, 20 21, UM, WITHOUT PICKLEBALL EVEN BEING VERY BIG IN THIS AREA.
YET HE KNEW THE TRENDS GOING ON AROUND THE COUNTRY AND WANTED THIS FOR JEFFERSON POWER.
SO LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR OUR RECREATION TEAM AND THE VISION THEY HAD YEARS AGO TO BRING THIS TO US.
68,000 COURTS IN THE UNITED STATES.
NEARLY A THIRD OF THOSE ADDED JUST LAST YEAR.
AND RIGHT NOW, PICKLE PLEX JUST OPENED JUST THIS YEAR.
WE'VE, WE, WE ALL KNOW WHERE WE'VE PLAYED.
SO MANY NEW COURTS ARE OPENING THE PICKLER, WHICH IS THE NATIONAL FRANCHISE IS COMING ALSO IN COUNCILMAN BONANNOS DISTRICT.
SO WE ARE REALLY, UM, PART OF THIS GROWING MIX.
UM, IT'S EASY TO PLAY IN, HARD TO MASTER.
SO I HOPE WE GET SOME BEGINNERS OUT THERE.
AND YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET A GAME IF YOU'VE NEVER PLAYED BEFORE.
YOU'RE GONNA FEEL LIKE YOU'RE PLAYING A GAME.
AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE CHALLENGE COURT, WHICH IS ANYBODY CAN CHALLENGE ON THIS COURT.
YOU'RE GONNA SEE SOME OF THE BEST PICKLEBALL, RIGHT? SO, UM, AND ANYBODY CAN PLAY ON HERE.
SO DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO BE AN INCREDIBLE PLAYER.
ANYBODY CAN CHALLENGE ON THIS COURT.
BUT 75% OF MATCHES, THE FOUR PEOPLE, 75% OF MATCHES HAVE A 10 YEAR AGE GAP.
50% OF MATCHES HAVE A 20 YEAR AGE GAP.
THERE'S NO OTHER SPORT THAT'S PLAYED LIKE THAT, RIGHT? WE ALL KNOW WHO WE PLAY WITH.
WHEN YOU GET ON A COURT WITH MY DAUGHTER AND I, YOU HAVE A 35 YEAR AGE GAP, OKAY? ON THAT, ON THAT STATISTIC.
SO THE VISION THAT WE HAD FOR THIS COMPLEX IS WE CAN BE EVERYTHING TO THIS COMMUNITY.
WE CAN HAVE THE ADVANCED GAMES, AND WE CAN BE WELCOMING TO BEGINNERS.
AND THAT REALLY IS THE SIMPLEST VISION.
THEY'RE MEANT FOR AS MANY PEOPLE TO USE IT AS POSSIBLE.
WE DON'T WANT A SITUATION WHERE I DIDN'T WANT A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE COME EARLY, GRAB A COURT, THEY STAY THERE, EVERYBODY ELSE IS WATCHING PEOPLE DRIVE UP.
IT'S FULL, HAVE TO DRIVE AWAY.
THAT'S NOT WHAT A PUBLIC COURT SHOULD BE.
THESE ARE TAXPAYER FUNDED COURTS, AND THEY SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, WE'LL GET INTO THAT.
UM, LET ME JUST GO OVER THE OPEN PLAY FORMAT.
I WAS TO THE PAST, UM, YEAR AND A HALF.
EVERYWHERE I TRAVELED, I WOULD TRY TO GO LOOK AT THE COURTS, THE PUBLIC AND THE PRIVATE COURTS, AND, UM, THE OPEN PLAY FORMAT, I THINK, AND YOU'VE ALREADY LINED UP IN THE BUCKETS.
IT'S A CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER, LIKE A PADDLE ON THE RACK.
BUT IT ALSO ADDS A SKILL LEVEL BECAUSE WE ALL WANNA PLAY IN A COMPETITIVE GAME.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES US A BETTER PLAYER.
WE ARE NOT GONNA LEARN ANYTHING.
IF THE RALLY ENDS WITH 1, 2, 3 SHOTS AND SOMEBODY HITS THE BALL AND THEN, OR HITS IT OUT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA LEARN ANYTHING.
WE ALL KNOW THAT WE GET BETTER IN COMPETITIVE GAMES AT OUR SKILL LEVEL.
NO SYSTEM'S PERFECT, BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT CLOSER, GETTING YOU IN YOUR SKILL LEVEL.
[00:05:01]
SO THAT'S THE BUCKET SYSTEM OVER THERE IN AN OPEN PLAY FORMAT.I ACTUALLY SAW THIS IN MIAMI AND I LOVED IT.
THE WINNER STAYS, AND THE NEXT TEAM IN THAT PADDLE, UH, RIGHT THERE, IT'S A SPECIAL RACK.
WE CHALLENGE, IT TENDS TO BE A VERY HIGH LEVEL GAME, BUT I WANNA SEE WOMEN ON THIS COURT, AND I WANNA SEE ANY, WE HAVE SOME REALLY HIGH LEVEL WOMEN HERE, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE.
OKAY? SO THAT IS REALLY, REALLY EXCITING.
WE HAVE HAD SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE IN OUR JPRD SYSTEM, THEY'RE WEARING RED SHIRTS.
THEY CAME TO THE SOFT OPENING, UH, TWO NIGHTS AGO, AND WERE HERE TO HELP US.
UM, THEY KIND OF UNDERSTAND HOW OUR SYSTEM WANTS TO RUN.
UM, SO I WANNA THANK THEM FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK.
UM, AND I WANNA SEE SOME BEGINNERS OUT THERE, AND I WANNA SEE SOME WOMEN ON THE CHALLENGE COURT TODAY.
ALL RIGHT? UM, WE'LL GO OVER MORE OF THE RULES AND THE DETAILS, BUT THE COMP, THIS COMPLEX IS NOT GONNA BE STAFFED.
WE DON'T HAVE AN EMPLOYEE, JUST LIKE OUR TENNIS COURTS ARE NOT STAFF.
SO THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO RUN IT.
A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT REPRESENTING THE VERY BEST OF OUR PICKLEBALL COMMUNITY, WHICH IS AN INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY.
UM, I'VE PLAYED SPORTS MY WHOLE LIFE, AND I'VE NEVER HAD A COMMUNITY IN SPORTS LIKE I'VE HAD IN PICKLEBALL.
AND YOU ALL KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S THIS OPEN PLAY FORMAT.
YOU COME FOR TWO HOURS, YOU PLAY WITH FOUR PEOPLE YOU NEVER MET BEFORE, AND NOW YOU MADE FOUR NEW FRIENDS.
AND THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF PICKLEBALL.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABOUT, A PICKLEBALL COMMUNITY RIGHT HERE IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA CALL UP COUNCILMAN BONANNO.
AND THEN, UH, COUNCILMAN SCOTT WALKER ALSO WANTS TO SPEAK.
AND, AND THEN WE'LL GET GOING IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON HOW THE COURTS WILL WORK FROM MARIO.
SO, PARISH PRESIDENT CHANG, YOU ARE GONNA TO SEE AN AMATEUR TODAY, RIGHT HERE,
I PLAYED MY FIRST GAME LAST SATURDAY, AND ONE OF OUR JUDGES, UH, AND MY WIFE PLAYED AT ELMWOOD, JUDGE JACKIE MALONEY.
SHE'S, IT AMAZES ME HOW QUICKLY PEOPLE COME BECOME ADDICTED TO THIS SPORT.
WHERE'S MELINDA? MELINDA ON MY STAFF OVER HERE, MELINDA DOUCETTE PLAYS LIKE FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A WEEK.
THAT'S HOW ADDICTIVE IT BECOMES.
NO ONE IS HAPPIER TO SEE THIS FACILITY BUILT TODAY THAN I, BECAUSE TRUST ME, WHEN I TELL YOU, THERE'S NOT A PLACE I GO SPEAK AT IN MY DISTRICT WHERE I GET ASKED, WHEN IS JEFFERSON PARISH GONNA OPEN A REAL PICKLEBALL FACILITY? WELL, HERE WE'RE TODAY, THANK GOODNESS I CAN SAY IT'S OPEN.
NOW, I, I DO WANT TO THANK MARIO AND OUR, OUR RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL RECREATION DEPARTMENT FOR HAVING THE VISION TO BUILD THIS FACILITY.
BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU, ME FUNDING THIS ROOF, I'M SELF-SERVING.
I THOUGHT ABOUT MY 6-YEAR-OLD SELF GOING OUT THERE IN AUGUST AND SENDING IN THE SUN.
SO THAT'S WHY, ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WE PUT THE ROOF.
BUT IT'S BEEN A GREAT PROJECT.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WE ANTICIPATED.
WE WENT THROUGH SOME LEARNING EXPERIENCES, ESPECIALLY WITH PAINTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I WANNA THANK MY ENGINEERS, OUR DESIGN TEAM FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THIS WONDERFUL FACILITY.
AND, UH, I THINK WE'RE ALL GONNA HAVE A GREAT TIME TODAY.
SO EVERYBODY GET YOUR PADDLES READY, AND LET'S PLAY EVERYBODY.
I'M COUNCILMAN AT LARGE SCOTT WALKER FROM JEFFERSON PARISH.
LOVE THAT THIS FACILITY IS HERE NOW.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY AT A BEAUTIFUL COMPLEX HERE AT MIKE MILEY.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN TO OUR RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND MARIO AND DINO FOR THE MONEY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS.
CYNTHIA, FOR, UH, THE VISION TO SEE THIS THROUGH THE, TO COMPLETION.
IF THERE'S A CONVERSATION THAT YOU HAVE WITH OUR PARISH PRESIDENT AND PICKLEBALL DOESN'T COME UP, THEN YOU'RE NOT HAVING A GOOD CONVERSATION.
'CAUSE I THINK THEY COME UP, IT COMES UP IN MOST CONVERSATIONS.
UM, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SHE PLAYS PICKLEBALL FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A WEEK.
SHE'S, SHE WON'T BE UPSET THAT I SAY HER AGE, I DON'T THINK, BUT SHE'S 78 AND SHE'S OUT HERE FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A WEEK, SOMETIMES MAYBE MORE.
AND I KNOW FOR, FOR THE OLDER COMMUNITY IN JEFFERSON PARISH AND FOR THE YOUNGER COMMUNITY ALIKE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S MUCH NEEDED AND MUCH ANTICIPATED.
I KNOW IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN TO A RIBBON CUTTING THAT HAD PICKLE BALLS ON THE RIBBON.
UM, SO I KNOW WE'RE ALL EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW POPULAR IT IS.
I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE PACKED EVERY DAY.
SO WELCOME, ENJOY, AND, UM, KEEP PICKLEBALL THRIVING IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
UH, I JUST WANNA SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I, I HAVE TO, I HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PARISH PRESIDENT BECAUSE BACK IN 20 20, 21, WE, UH, RECREATION DEPARTMENT HAD A VISION FOR HOW WE CAN BETTER UTILIZE OUR UNDERUTILIZED FACILITIES.
UM, AND IT WAS A, YOU KNOW, IT WAS CONTROVERSIAL AT THE TIME, AND WE WENT THROUGH ALL OF THESE, UH, THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS.
[00:10:01]
AND I, I TOLD THE PARISH PRESIDENT, I SAID, LOOK, ONE EXAMPLE YOU CAN GIVE IS PICKLEBALL.YOU KNOW, PICKLEBALL IS EMERGING AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND WE, WE SHOULD REALLY START GRAVITATING THAT, BRINGING THAT TO THE PARISH.
SO AT ALL OF THE PUBLIC FORUMS WE WENT TO, CYNTHIA MENTIONED, WE'RE GONNA DO PICKLEBALL.
AND EVERY TIME SHE MENTIONED IT, THEY USUALLY SAID, PICKLEBALL, WHAT, WHAT IS PICKLEBALL? IT REALLY DID NOT GO OVER TOO WELL.
SO AFTER THE SEVENTH ONE, WE'RE LIKE, OKAY, WELL, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA KEEP PUSHING FORWARD.
I MEAN, THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO, UH, THANKS TO TO, TO, UH, THE PARISH PRESIDENT'S LEADERSHIP IS TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT WE CAN OFFER TO THE PUBLIC, UH, IN TERMS OF JUST RECREATION, GENERAL RECREATION.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE KNOWN FOR OUR YOUTH SPORTS, AND WE WE'RE UP 30% IN OUR PARTICIPATION IN YOUTH SPORTS, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
UM, BUT THESE COURTS BASICALLY REPRESENT THE PEOPLE HERE.
IT'S, IT'S THE, IT'S THE, THE ADULTS.
IT'S THE OLDER ADULTS THAT, THAT ARE HERE.
WE'RE BRINGING PEOPLE THAT, THAT HAVE NEVER REALLY BEEN A PART OF RECREATION.
THEY'RE COMING NOW BACK INTO THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND PARTICIPATING, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
UM, SO THANK YOU, UH, AGAIN, TO THE PARISH PRESIDENT FOR THAT.
I, I DO WANNA MENTION TO DINO, THOUGH, IT WAS FUNNY BECAUSE WE WERE AT THE GROUNDBREAKING.
UM, WE WERE RIGHT OVER THERE AND WE'RE DOING THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR THIS COMPLEX.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE, THE, THE ROOF, UH, ENVISIONED IN THIS.
AND DINO MENTIONED DURING THE, DURING THE CEREMONY, HE SAYS, WE NEED A COVER.
I'M GONNA TALK TO MARIO ABOUT THAT.
AFTER, AFTER THIS, WE NEED A COVER FOR THIS.
AND I'M THINKING TO MYSELF, HMM, THAT'S GONNA BE INTERESTING.
SO DINO COMES UP TO ME AND SAYS, SO WE'RE GONNA DO A COVER HERE.
HOW MUCH IS THAT GONNA COST? AND I SAID, OH, I DON'T KNOW.
HE SAID, WHAT? I'M LIKE, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT IT'S GONNA BE.
WELL, IT WOUND UP BEING $800,000.
SO HE REALLY, HE FORKED OVER THE DOUGH ON THAT ONE.
SO WE APPRECIATE IT, COUNCILMAN.
UM, I'D LIKE TO JUST THANK, UH, SEVERAL PEOPLE.
UM, FIRST OFF, SHIREEN GUGGENHEIMER WITH SHIREEN.
UH, SHIREEN, REALLY, WE APPRECIATE YOU.
SHIREEN HAD THE VISION FOR WHERE THIS COMPLEX WOULD BE BEST FITTED, UH, WHICH IS RIGHT HERE.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I THANK SHIREEN ON THAT.
OUR RECREATION STAFF, I MEAN, THESE PEOPLE, I'VE WORKED WITH THESE PEOPLE FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
UM, THIS IS A SPECIAL GROUP OF PEOPLE.
LEO IS OUR PARKS, UH, PARKS DIRECTOR.
UM, LEO HANDLES EVERY SINGLE PROJECT IN THIS PARISH WITHIN RECREATION.
HE HAS TOUCHED FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS OR SO.
UH, HIS FINGERPRINTS ARE ON ALL OF THESE PROJECTS IN JEFFERSON PARISH OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS IN RECREATION.
SO WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT HIM.
HAROLD BUELLER, OUR, OUR RECREATION DIRECTOR, HAL'S A A A 30 YEAR PLUS GUY IN RECREATION.
UH, HE'S JUST DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB WITH LEADING THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
GARY SCHMIDT, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
THANK YOU, GARY, FOR YOUR, YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND GARY'S HANDLES A LOT OF OUR FACILITIES.
UH, BUZZ CONSTANT COULDN'T BE HERE.
UM, BUT BUZZ IS OUR OPERATIONS MANAGER.
BRENT GRIFFIN IS ON OUR STAFF.
DARREN COOK, MAVE MAVERICK, CHARLES.
AND, UM, OUR SUPERVISOR HERE AT MILEY PLAYGROUND IS KYLE ARSENO.
SO KYLE, THAT'LL BE A, A FRIENDLY FACE YOU'LL SEE AROUND HERE.
UM, I WANNA EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION TO THE CONTRACTORS, OUR CONTRACTING PARTNERS, MEYER ENGINEERING, WHO DESIGNED THIS WONDERFUL FACILITY, CRESCENT COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION, UH, THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR.
YOU GUYS DID A A, A FANTASTIC JOB.
MIKE STEWART WITH QUALITY COURTS.
UM, JUST A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.
UM, SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I WANT TO BRING UP, UH, OUR DIRECTOR OF, UH, RECREATION HAROLD AND KYLE LARSON, WHO'S THE SUPERVISOR HERE AT MOLEY PLAYGROUND.
THEY'RE GONNA SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT LOGISTICS, PARKING, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME THINGS THAT YOU GUYS, UH, NEED TO KNOW IN TERMS OF HOW THIS COMPLEX IS GONNA OPERATE.
I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING THIS MORNING.
UH, ON BEHALF OF JPRD, I ALSO WANNA THANK OUR PARISH PRESIDENT, COUNCILMAN BONANO, UH, MARIO LEO WEBB, UH, FOR ALL THEY DID TO MAKE THIS COME, COME TO LIGHT, THIS PICKLEBALL FACILITY.
THIS IS A REALLY GROWING AREA OF, OF JPRD.
OVER HERE, UH, WE HAVE OUR RE REAL AREA SPORTS COMPLEX FOR OUR INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ADULTS AND KIDS.
WE HAVE OUR SOFTBALL COMPLEX OVER HERE, WHICH IS WHAT WE PLAY ALL OUR GIRLS SOFTBALL.
WE HAVE TRAVEL TOURNAMENTS AND D DIFFERENT THINGS IN THIS AREA.
NOW, OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR PICKLEBALL COURTS.
SO, UH, WHEN YOU DO COME DURING THE WEEK, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ACTIVITY GOING ON OVER HERE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE ACTIVITY, UH, GOING ON OVER AT THE COMPLEX.
SO WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO THE PARKING OVER HERE.
[00:15:01]
THEN IF YOU GO DOWN EISENHOWER, WHICH IS NOW GONNA BE PICKLEBALL COURT, UH, WE'RE GONNA PARK FROM THE CURVE INTO THE FENCE.SO WE HAVE PLENTY PARKING DOWN HERE.
UH, THESE GATES WILL, WILL PROBABLY BE LOCKED.
WE'LL HAVE THE, THE REAL RIO CENTER GOING THROUGH THE GYM.
WE'LL HAVE THE SOFTBALL COMPLEX GOING OVER THERE THROUGH THE, UH, COMPLEX GATE.
AND ALL THE PICKLEBALL WILL BE COMING, UH, THROUGH THIS AREA.
IT'S GONNA BE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FROM 8:00 AM TO 9:00 PM UH, IT'S GONNA BE BASICALLY UNMANNED, ALTHOUGH KYLE AND HIS STAFF HERE AT MILEY ARE GONNA BE INVOLVED.
UH, WE'LL HAVE PEOPLE, OF COURSE, IN THE REAL RIO CENTER AND ALSO AT THE COMPLEX, BUT IT'S GOING TO BASICALLY BE UNMANNED.
SO WE STARTED WHAT WE CALL AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
AND IF YOU SEE ALL THESE FOLKS WITH THESE RED SHIRTS, THESE ARE OUR AMBASSADORS THAT HAVE BEEN REAL INVOLVED WITH PICKLEBALL, UH, REAL INVOLVED WITH HELPING WITH, UH, THE DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE WE HAVE PICKLEBALL.
AND THEY'RE GONNA KIND OF BE OUR LITTLE LEADERSHIP, UH, TEAM OF THE PICKLEBALL FACILITY, SHOWING EVERYONE WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
YOU KNOW, HOW THE OPEN PLAY SYSTEM WORKS AND HELP TRY TO GROW THE PICKLEBALL GAME.
SO I WANT TO HAVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OF OUR AMBASSADORS WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED, UH, TO DO THIS TODAY.
UH, I'M GONNA HAVE MR. KYLE ARSENAL COME UP NOW AND GO OVER SOME OF THE LOGISTICS.
AND AGAIN, THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING AND ENJOY THE FACILITY.
WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE, UH, RULES OF THE PICKLEBALL COURTS.
THE AGE LIMITS FOR THE PICKLEBALL.
PORT COURTS ARE GONNA BE 12 AND UP, 12 AND UP ONLY.
UM, THERE'LL BE NO SKATEBOARDING, THERE'LL BE NO ROLLERBLADING, UM, TENNIS SHOES OR PICKLEBALL COURT SHOES ONLY.
TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE BATHROOMS. THE BATHROOMS ARE GONNA BE LOCATED DOWN THE, TO THE SOFTBALL COMPLEX.
MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE RIGHT IS THE WOMEN'S BATHROOM.
TO THE LEFT, THERE'S THE MEN'S.
WE ALSO HAVE THE A ED MACHINE THAT'S ON THE WALL DOWN THERE TOWARDS, TOWARDS THE WOMEN'S BATHROOM.
WE HAVE A COKE MACHINE AND A WATER PHONY BEHIND THE, UH, RIO RIO CENTER BEHIND THE, UH, LITTLE BREEZE WALKWAY RIGHT HERE.
IT'S GOT SOME BENCHES THERE ALSO TOO.
UM, THE PICKLEBALL COURTS ARE GONNA OPEN UP AT 8:00 AM AND THEY'RE GONNA BE OPEN UNTIL 9:00 PM.
UM, THIS GOING ON HERE, PARKING, EXCUSE ME ONE SECOND.
ALSO, WE GONNA HAVE ROLLERS CASE WHEN THE COURTS ARE WET, WE'LL HAVE TWO SETS OF ROLLERS IN EACH COURT BIN.
SO WE HAVE, YOU CAN ROLL THE WATER OFF KINDA LIKE WE DO WITH THE TENNIS COURTS AT THE PLACES AROUND HERE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME PUSH BROOMS JUST IN CASE SOME SAND AND MAYBE OTHER DEBRIS GET ONTO THE COURTS.
AND WE'LL DO THAT AND LIKE, UH, LIKE MR. HARRELL SAID, WE'LL, ALL MY STAFF WILL BE AROUND HERE PERIODICALLY CHECKING THINGS OUT.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, THE MAIN GATE IS GONNA BE TOWARDS THE PICKLEBALL COURT PARKING LOT.
ALL THE OTHER GATES GOING TOWARDS HERE TO THE SOFTBALL COMPLEX ARE GONNA BE CLOSED.
SO PLEASE USE THESE PARKING LOTS ALONG THERE, AND I'M GLAD EVERYBODY'S HERE.
I, I DO WANNA CLARIFY ONE THING.
UM, KYLE MENTIONED ABOUT THE AGES OF THE COMPLEX, UM, 12 AND ON, 12 AND UP, IF, IF YOU'RE, THAT'S UNSUPERVISED.
SO WE, WE WE'RE NOT GONNA ALLOW UNSUPERVISED CHILDREN ON THE COURTS, BUT CERTAINLY IF YOU HAVE, UH, YOUNGER CHILDREN THAT, THAT ARE PART OF YOUR 12 AND UP.
BUT IF YOU'RE, IF, BUT IF YOUR FAMILY, IF YOU OVER THERE ON THAT SIDE.
OKAY, SO ALSO I WANTED TO MENTION ON THE OTHER SIDE, THIS IS THE OPEN PLAY COURTS.
ON THE OTHER SIDE, UM, IS GOING TO BE FREE PLAY AND RESERVATION.
SO AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO RESERVE THOSE COURTS FOR AN HOUR TO PLAY.
SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO DO THAT, YOU'D LIKE TO BRING A GROUP OUT AND PLAY.
YOU CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT OVER THERE.
OKAY, I'M GONNA BRING UP THE PARISH PRESIDENT TO, UH, TO, UH, WRAP THINGS UP.
UM, ONE OTHER RULE, GUYS, JUST THERE'S NO MUSIC ALLOWED HERE, OKAY? WE HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD HERE AND I DON'T WANNA MANAGE MUSIC BECAUSE MY YACHT ROCK FOLKS, WHEN THERE'S NO BETTER DAY THAN CITY PARK AND YACHT ROCK, IT'S LIKE MY HAPPIEST DAYS.
BUT NOT EVERYBODY LIKES YACHT ROCK.
AND IF I'D BLARE YACHT ROCK, IT MIGHT MAKE SOME OF YOU UPSET.
SO, UM,
AND I DON'T WANNA MANAGE MUSIC TASTE ALREADY.
I NEED TO THANK OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE.
NEIL, RACHEL, JUSTIN, UM, INCREDIBLE WORK THIS WEEK.
THEY, THEY GOT OUT THAT VIDEO, WHICH WAS INCREDIBLE AFTER OUR SOFT OPENING.
AND THEY'VE REALLY HAD A LOT OF WEATHER EVENTS AND THEY'VE BEEN SPREAD THIN THIS WEEK.
GENERAL SERVICES ALWAYS PUTS ALL OF THIS TOGETHER FOR US.
THEY MANAGE OUR BUILDINGS, THEY ALWAYS HELP EVERYTHING.
OUR PARKWAY DEPARTMENT AND OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEERING, THAT'S GONNA BE PICKLE PICKLEBALL COURT DRIVE.
SO I WANNA THANK OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEERING, UM, GROUP
[00:20:01]
TO DO THAT.OKAY? SO NOW WE GOTTA CUT THE RIBBON AND WE WANT ALL OF YOU ALL IN THE PICTURE.
SO, BUT LET'S JUST GO OVER SOME LOGISTICS NOW.
WE'RE GONNA DO THE FORMAL CUTTING OF THE RIBBON.
WE WANT EVERYBODY IN THE PICTURE AND THEN WE'LL START PLAYING.
SO THOSE, WE LET PEOPLE GET IN THE BUCKET SYSTEM THAT GOT HERE EARLY FIRST COME FIRST SERVE.
WE WE'RE GONNA WAIT AND DO THAT ORDERLY, OKAY? SO DON'T GO GRAB YOUR BUCKETS YET.
I WANT, I WANT VIDEO OF THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A GREAT VIDEO SHOT.
SO DON'T START, WE'LL DO THAT ORGANIZED.
IF YOU WANNA BE ON THE CHAMPIONSHIP COURT RIGHT HERE.
NO, THE CHALLENGE COURT RIGHT HERE.
PUT YOUR NAME AND YOUR PARTNER'S NAME.
AND WE HAVE ENOUGH TO PULL FROM DAVID.
SEE DAVID, DAVID, RAISE YOUR HAND.
YOU NEED TO WRITE YOU AND YOUR PARTNER'S NAME ON THE SHEET OF PAPER.
ALSO, IN CASE YOUR NAME DOESN'T GET PICKED.
LINE UP, WE'RE GONNA PICK THE FIRST.
COUNCILMAN BONANOS ARE GONNA PICK THE FIRST MATCH.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA PICK THE NEXT, THE FIRST CHALLENGE CHALLENGER.
SO WE'RE GONNA PICK THREE TEAMS, AND THEN EVERYBODY FOR THIS CHALLENGE COURT LINE UP ON THE PADDLE RACK, RIGHT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS FENCE.
ALL THE OTHER COURTS ARE A BUCKET SYSTEM.
THE AMBASSADORS KNOW HOW THE BUCKET SYSTEM'S GONNA WORK.
Y'ALL, THE AMBASSADORS WORK THAT SYSTEM FOR ME.
I WANNA PLAY WITH SOME BEGINNERS TODAY.
SHANE, WHERE'S MY FRIEND? JIM SHANE, WHO'S MY VOLLEYBALL? I CONVINCED JIM, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET HIM TO PLAY PICKLEBALL FOR A YEAR AND A HALF.
I SAW HIM LAST NIGHT AT A CRAWFISH BOIL.
JIM, YOU AND I ARE GETTING THE FIRST GAME, AND WE NEED, WE NEED TWO OTHER BEGINNERS IN THAT GAME.
ANY BEGINNER WHO'S NEVER PLAYED BEFORE, I'M PLAYING WITH YOU TODAY.
I WANNA PLAY WITH THE BEGINNERS TODAY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'VE NEVER PLAYED BEFORE.
OKAY, WITH THAT HAROLD MARIO, WE'RE READY.