It seems an underground group of Carlsbadistan shuffleboard players are none too happy about plans that the City of Carlsbad and the Carlsbad Rotary club have to “fill in” the Magee Shuffleboard courts to make room for more seating around a soon to be moved gazebo.
“We’ve been playing on the courts for over a year now and were completely blindsided when we heard that they were going to be torn out,” one player said. “Seriously, they’re tearing out recreational space so they can put in another gazebo for homeless people to hang out in?”
The courts’ pathway to destruction began about a year ago when the City of Carlsbad’s lease ran out on Rotary Park (the strip of grass East of Village Faire and West of the train tracks that is mainly frequented by homeless people).That strip of lawn is owned by the North County Transit District and without the lease, the park’s centerpiece gazebo needed a new home.
After exploring several different location options The Rotary Club and the City of Carlsbad apparently decided that the gazebo should be relocated to Magee Park, according to Carlsbad Parks and Rec Supervisor Paul Meadows. And once discussions began it became apparent that the current layout of the shuffleboard courts would not be consistent with the plans for the Rotary Club’s completely refurbished gazebo.
While the gazebo will be located just south of the shuffleboard courts the unevenness of the playing surface would cause problems for walking and sitting in the area in front of the Gazebo. “At that point we came in to do a redesign of the shuffle board courts,” Meadows said. “They’re going to fill that in for seating for the Gazebo.”
Did Rotary or The City of Carlsbad put it up for public comment? No. “There was no public forum for it,” Meadows said. “It was just decided. One of our men who works there says he’s never seen anyone play there.”
Maybe the underground group of shuffleheads have been too far underground. “We’re obviously not down there all the time, but we use the courts enough that we’re extremely interested in keeping them,” another player said. “What is the City trying to do? We don’t have a usable skatepark, they stalled on our swimming pool, and now they’re going to take our shuffleboard courts away. I don’t get it.”
Meadows said that anyone with concerns regarding the Magee shuffleboard courts should contact Carlsbad Parks and Recreation Department Kyle Lancaster at (760) 434-2826.
RSS Feed-Posts
I like to play shuffleboard on the weekends at Magee Park. I see no reason for the Gazebo to be placed on the courts and ruin that source of recreation for myself, family and others. I am for putting the Gazebo in another place at Magee Park but DO NOT TAKE AWAY THE SHUFFLE BOARD COURTS!!!!
WHY???
Why would you put a gazebo underneath sap dripping pine trees?
Why would you pull out (of a park) a recreational activity that costs the city no money for upkeep?
It will be a sad day when the “courts” are filled in to make room for a gazebo that will be next to a parking lot. Isn’t there another spot that the gazebo could be relocated in all of Magee park?
There has been a resurgence of shuffle board play @ Magee park because a group of LOCAL people have discovered the shuffleboard courts and really enjoyed the game. and the numbers of players are growing.(shuffleboard wasn’t created over night)
We had to go out and buy our own equipment – but no different than bringing your own basketball to a Basketball hoop.
It’s really a bummer that the public didn’t get to vote on this ROTARY decision. it seems silly to destroy a activity for residents that doesn’t cost the city a dime. Which in this economic climate seems stupid. A gazebo in that area could probably be better suited elsewhere other than next to street and a parking lot. This area is about 30 x 60 ft ( 4 courts).Question: Will the Rotary be so gracious as to relocate the shuffleboard courts? – after they have graciously relocated a gazebo?-which will cost the city money in upkeep in the future.
The shuffleboard courts cost the city NO $$$ and haven’t in the past 20 years.The citizens are rediscovering a activity that costs the city no $$$$. why would the city take that away? especially without the citizens voting on it.
My children and my family along with numerous other have found a great game/sport that brings families and people together in the outdoors. which is offered by the city as a activity for us (citizens) of the community to enjoy.
People have said that they have Never seen anyone playing shuffleboard there. Part of the reason is- the location of the COURTS is way in the BACK of the park up against a street and a parking lot next to the community hall building. this location I would think would not be the prime spot to place a gazebo that the city would want to maximize for it’s community use.
Help Mayor BUD !! ( might be too late for BUD to help )
Help City officers !!!!
” Keep MAGEE SHUFFLE alive !!! ”
Thanks for your understanding-
-M. S. C. ( Magee Shuffleboard Club)
&
– The Friends of Magee park
Is the shuffleboard court still around or was it removed. I have looked for a court for years and did not know that there was one. The only court i can find in carlsbad is at the tyler court apartments and it is covered with lawn chairs and is not maintained.
DON……..No, the courts have been replaced with new cement ( seriously?) for chairs to be added outside the gazebo of activities. The only people i see using the gazebo is the local homeless non working type.
it’s sad. Carlsbad- put back in some shuffle board courts @ magee park !!!!!!
Comments on this entry are closed.