Bocce ball at Blytheburn Lake?
Nick Carbonaro hopes so.
The longtime Blytheburn Lake resident is spearheading an effort by the Blytheburn Lake Association to determine if there is enough interest among current and (hopefully) new association members to merit construction of a bocce court near the lake’s dam.
Carbonaro explained that over the years association members have cleared an area along the nearly 600-foot long dam to allow them access for dam maintenance.
“I was at the dam recently and thought the area would be a perfect spot for bocce ball. It’s nice and flat and there is plenty of space,” the Carbonaro related.
The 76-year-old Carbonaro said he played in a bocce ball league nearly four decades ago in Inkerman and recalled how much fun it was.
“It was a real social event,” he said of the weekly competitions. “There were a number of teams. Every week one of the teams was responsible for bringing food. We had a couple restaurant owners and pizza shop owners who played so we had some fabulous food. It was a family event. Some weeks we had 100 people attend.”
Carbonaro said he was recently in Florida and visited a golf community where there were a number of bocce courts.
“It was quite popular. There were benches for spectators and everyone seemed to be having a good time,” he said. “That’s what piqued my interest.”
To determine if there is enough interest in bocce at Blytheburn Lake, Carbonaro has posted flyers throughout Mountain Top as well as on social media. He’s hoping the game will attract enough new members to the association to make construction of a court worthwhile.
“I’ve received six emails from people who are interested,” he said.
The association has about 100 members, Carbonaro related. Of that number, about 20 are people who have lakefront properties or own properties with lake access. Those are voting members. The rest are associate (non-voting) members. Cost of an associate membership is $135 annually which entitles the person and their family to use the lake for fishing, kayaking and boating, including the right to anchor a small boat at the lake.
“I thought adding a bocce court might encourage new members,” Carbonaro said. “If we can get 10 new members, that’s a win.”
He pointed out he is not aware of any existing bocce courts in the Mountain Top area, although he believes there are a couple in the Hazleton area.
Carbonaro said if there are enough people interested, construction of a court could begin this spring or early summer. He said he envisions a court about 80 feet long and 11 or 2 feet wide. He does not feel a bocce court would be difficult nor expensive to construct, noting there are some association members who have volunteered to use their equipment and construction expertise to help build it. A court, he said, consists of a wall that would be built of 6-inch-by-6-inch timbers stacked two high and a hard-packed surface to allow the bocce balls to roll easily.
Once the court is built, equipment consists simply of a set of bocce balls. Participants — either as individuals or teams — take turns throwing four red and four green bocce balls. The goal is to land them as close as possible to a smaller target ball called the pallino.
Anyone interested in joining the association can contact Carbonaro at Blytheburnlake@gmail.com or by calling 570-678-7585. Membership applications are available at the Lakefront Shed on Blytheburn Road.
