Fulle Field Pickleball Courts: The Harpswell Neck Physical Education Association will open its new tennis and pickleball courts at Fulle Field this July. This marks the completion of a seven-year fundraising effort totaling $183,240. The new courts will be available to the public, with a grand opening set for July 19.
Final Steps Before Opening
Tony Cornish, acting treasurer of the Harpswell Neck Physical Education Association and site coordinator, said on June 11 that he hopes the courts will be ready by June 30, when the HNPEA summer camp begins.
“There will be a whole new experience from what was there before,” said David Chipman, president of the HNPEA Board of Trustees.
The courts include one for tennis and two for pickleball. These upgrades reflect growing community interest, especially in pickleball. The site also adds new benches, landscaping, and two accessible parking spots.
Construction and Community Effort
Brunswick-based Ray Labbe & Sons Inc. removed the 60-year-old courts last summer. They installed the base layer for the new surface, which needed to settle for four weeks. During that time, Cumberland’s Main Line Fence built a new fence.
Vermont-based Advantage Tennis will soon finish the court surface and paint the lines. A backboard will also be installed. Harpswell-based Mike Webber Enterprises Inc. helped prepare the site and donated labor and materials for the parking area.
“It’s been a long haul, but it’s good. It’s going to be a good thing,” said Tony Cornish.
Celebrating 60 Years of Tennis and Camp
This summer marks 60 years of tennis at Fulle Field, as well as the HNPEA summer camp for grades K–6. Each year, kids enjoy tennis lessons, field games, crafts, and special activities. Many campers return as counselors after aging out, according to Cornish.
Fulle Field is also home to a basketball court, a playground, and an old chicken coop that now serves as an arts and crafts shed.
Public Access and Future Plans
The courts will be open for free use by the public on a first-come, first-served basis. David Chipman said a sign-up sheet may be added later if needed.
As always, the courts will be closed during camp hours—weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. until July 25—and on Sunday mornings during church services at Elijah Kellogg Church. The church leases the land to the Harpswell Neck Physical Education Association for a small fee.
“We’ve built this for the public,” said David Chipman.
Harpswell Neck Physical Education Association “was meant to have people being active and outdoors and doing things,” he added. “And that’s our goal is to continue that.”
Tony Cornish hopes to bring back local tournaments and remembers the women’s tournaments held there in the 1980s and 1990s.
News in Brief: Fulle Field Pickleball Courts
The Harpswell Neck Physical Education Association will open new tennis and pickleball courts at Fulle Field in July. A celebration is planned for July 19. The project took seven years and $183,240 to complete. The upgraded courts will be open to the public outside summer camp and Sunday service hours.
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