Dunn Stadium Pickleball Court Opening: Twelve new pickleball courts are being built at Dunn Stadium in Columbus, Indiana, and are expected to open later this month or in early July. The courts will be free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, according to Bartholomew County Parks Director Rich Day.
The courts are located on the west end of the stadium. Final steps like installing netting and painting lines are underway. However, rainy weather could slow progress.
Work Nears the Finish Line
Rich Day said work began earlier this spring. Painting and installing net poles is the final stage.
“It’s going to be amazing when they get started painting on that. Unfortunately, it will weather permitting,”(Rich Day).
Despite rain in the forecast, the team is pushing forward with hopes of meeting the early July goal.
Setbacks and Schedule Changes
Construction originally started after the ground was leveled last year. The project moved forward once the team received a city permit.
“It’s been a process,”. “When we pretty much got started, we leveled the ground last year with help from the highway department. Once we got our permit from the city, we started in late April, early May.”(Rich Day)
A tournament planned for August had to be canceled due to construction delays caused by poor weather.
Project Funded by Local and Federal Support
Rich Day estimated the project cost at about $765,000. Part of the funding came from the American Rescue Plan Act, which gave support to communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We were lucky to get some ARPA money from COVID,”. “They wanted to invest in the park, so the commissioners decided it would be great to invest in the parks. We thought that was something the public needed.”(Rich Day)
More Play for the Public
Once completed, the new courts will give local residents more chances to play pickleball in a modern outdoor space. The investment is expected to bring new life to the park and encourage more people to enjoy the sport.
News in Brief: Dunn Stadium Pickleball Court Opening
Twelve public pickleball courts are being finished at Dunn Stadium in Columbus, Indiana. Parks Director Rich Day said they’ll open by early July. The $765,000 project, partly funded by COVID relief money, faced weather delays. The courts will be free to use and are located on the stadium’s west side.
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