Douglas County’s New Pickleball Courts: After years of advocacy and collaboration, the pickleball community in Douglas County has finally realized a long-anticipated dream: an outdoor pickleball court at the Douglas County Community and Senior Center. The ribbon-cutting ceremony held Thursday marked a significant milestone for players and fans, celebrating not only the facility itself but the community’s dedication to making this vision a reality. Community Services Director Brook Adie commended the pickleball advocates, stating,
“Without the pickleball community and all of your advocacy, this would not be possible. We had many people come during meetings to let us know what they wanted, what it is they need to support the pickleball community and they were great partners in designing this entire park.” – (Brook Adie)
The event drew a crowd of players, local officials, and supporters who gathered to acknowledge the hard work that brought the project to fruition. The new pickleball facility features eight post-tension cable concrete pickleball courts, conveniently located near picnic areas and public restrooms.
A Growing Sport and Community Investment
The rise of pickleball across the United States over the past 15 years has inspired communities to invest in this exciting sport. Douglas County is no exception. Assistant County Manager Scott Morgan noted,
“It was alerted to us in Douglas County about 10 years ago and because you live in Douglas County, nothing happens overnight. It’s like the skatepark park, it took us 7 years to build that because we didn’t want it to be bad and 20 years for a community center. We get it right here in Douglas County. So, we did a feasibility study, we chose a location, and we hounded on you, but not like you hounded on us. You wanted this and because of your support this became prioritized as a number one project.” – (Scott Morgan)
This sentiment was echoed by residents Addah Dunn and Martha Dodd, who praised the sport for its accessibility and therapeutic benefits.
“The movements are very general, some people run around a lot, but for the most part it is real general movements. I find it very therapeutic.” – (Addah Dunn)
Martha Dodd emphasized the unique opportunity this pickleball court presents, saying,
“It’s a great facility, we don’t have something like this in Silver Springs. It’s a great sport to play and easy and fun to learn.” – (Martha Dodd)
The funding for the project was notably efficient, with no property tax dollars used. Instead, the courts were financed through Residential Construction Tax and Room Tax fund reserves, resulting in a contract of $600,000 for the construction of the eight pickleball courts.
“These are specific funded courts made up of Residential Construction Tax and Room Tax fund reserve tax and that is how this was paid for. So, we had a $600,000 contract to build eight courts with post-tension concrete courts, that’s an amazing price.” – (Scott Morgan)
Scott Morgan remarked that “Anywhere else in the country, courts would cost around $2 million,” highlighting the remarkable achievement of building a high-quality facility for a fraction of that cost.
“We a had a $400,000 project at the restroom facility so overall we are close to a $1.3 million pickle ball complex. It starts here and goes here, but at the end of the day we promise you that with your involvement, we get it right and it will be something you can be very, very proud of.” – (Scott Morgan)
News in Brief: Douglas County’s New Pickleball Courts
After years of advocacy, the pickleball community in Douglas County celebrated the opening of an outdoor pickleball facility at the Douglas County Community and Senior Center. The new pickleball complex features eight post-tension cable concrete pickleball courts, funded through Residential Construction Tax and Room Tax reserves at $600,000.
Local officials and players praised the community’s dedication to making the project a reality. The pickleball facility is a significant investment in the growing sport, offering a high-quality, accessible space for pickleball players. The ribbon-cutting marked a milestone for the county’s commitment to recreation and community engagement.
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