HIAWASSEE, Ga. – FetchYourNews (FYN) was notified by a citizen that Towns County soon intends to begin collecting a fee from out-of-county pickleball players for use of the newly refurbished “old” recreation center’s indoor court.

FYN met with Towns County Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw Feb. 15 to learn the details. Although the fee has yet to be determined, Bradshaw speculated that $5 per day or $30 per month may be required for pickleball players that reside outside of Towns County. The commissioner stated that he intends to contemplate the decision over the weekend.

“It isn’t fair to the Towns County taxpayers to allow non-residents to play without paying,” Bradshaw explained. “I go to great lengths to make sure decisions are fair for all. I support the pickleball players. Absolutely. It’s a great sport. But at the same time, it isn’t fair for Towns County residents to foot the bill for a facility that they funded.”

Surrounding counties with pickleball facilities charge fees with the exception of Rabun County, Bradshaw said, based on research conducted by the Towns County Recreation Department.

Bradshaw included that 20 percent of the annual pickleball tournament proceeds are received by the county. Last year, Towns County gained just over $1300 from the sport.

The commissioner met with soon-to-resign local Pickleball Ambassidor John Hall this afternoon, with FYN speaking with Hall as he exited the courthouse. Hall said that his decision to resign was based solely on the great amount of time that the position requires, and that the pending fee for use of the indoor court had no bearing on his resignation. Hall stated that the implementation of a fee for non-resident use of the facility is a choice that the county can justly make.

In addition to pickleball, the state-of-the-art gymnasium is available for basketball games and provides a venue for baseball batting cages in inclement weather.

FYN will provide an update on the settled non-residential pickleball fee once the decision becomes finalized.

Feature Image Credit: Georgia Mountain Pickleball via Facebook

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