A group of pickleball players is all set to start playing pickleball at Heart Mountain Hall on Thursday night.

Park County Commissioners gave their blessing to the venture, saying at a recent meeting they want $50 per night of play from a local pickleball group but were otherwise ready to let them play at the fairgrounds from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The pickleballers have been seeking a place to play this winter after their previous facility, the Powell Armory, became unavailable.

At a Jan. 10 staff meeting, commissioners and Park County Events Coordinator Billy Wood hashed out a potential plan: The Powell Recreation District would run a program for the group of roughly 15 pickleballers at the hall on Tuesday and Thursday nights, except for when another group was renting the space out, through the rest of the cold months.

Powell Rec Director Colby Stenerson said he and Wood had been working on a plan since the meetings.

“We’ve been helping that group out for nine years,” Stenerson said. “It’s a different target group age wise that we don’t reach all the time, so we’re happy to help out.”

The hall may be a one-season solution. Northwest College has indicated that, due to interest in the sport from students, it could open up its old gym to pickleball for students and the community. However, that facility is being used as a temporary dining hall this spring semester.

Commissioner Scott Mangold suggested that Stenerson and his staff handle it as they would a standard program — collecting money from the attendees, opening up the building and ensuring it was closed up each night. Mangold said that’s something Stenerson would be willing and able to do.

“We could say we want to cover $50 per night,” Mangold suggested. “It’d be better for him to set up a program, go through the rec department.”

Stenerson said extra money would go back to the program to pay for tape, nets, etc. for the pickleball players.

Commissioner Lee Livingston said he’d even be OK with the players leaving tape on the floor to separate courts, as long as a demonstration shows the tape doesn’t leave residue. Stenerson said they’ll still have to pull the tape up before a different group rents out the space, however, then lay it back down.