New Cody Park Pickleball Courts: The new pickleball courts at Cody Park in North Platte, Nebraska, officially opened on Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The event marked the launch of the first NEBRASKAland Days Pickleball Roundup, adding the fast-growing sport to the annual celebration’s calendar of activities.
A Big Step for North Platte
The Cody Park courts are the result of years of fundraising and planning. Construction took months, but the results have impressed players. Gary Person, president and CEO of the North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corporation, praised the new facility.
“I’ve talked to some people who have been all over the country playing pickleball. Councilman Pete Volz was just in New York and played pickleball over at Central Park, and he said that nothing compares to this, nothing.”-(Gary Person)
Shane Weaver, board president of NEBRASKAland Days, said adding pickleball to the event made perfect sense.
“We knew that the North Platte pickleball board was working very hard to get all of this set up here and have new courts put in, and we thought, why not highlight that in our celebration? All of their efforts came together; it’s a beautiful facility. We thought, why not make this part of the celebration and an affiliate event and part of the fun this week.”-(Shane Weaver)
Community Support Made It Happen
The project wouldn’t have been possible without strong local support.
“You can’t say enough about the city of North Platte in embracing it and stepping up because funds are always hard to find, Mayor Kelliher is great at challenging people and telling them if you bring us the idea and the spirit and passion and some fundraising to it, we are going to do our part. It is a testimony to a group of wonderful volunteers. It is so North Platte, isn’t it?”-(Gary Person)
The courts are already helping the local economy. Nearly a dozen vendors set up shop during the tournament, bringing business to the area.
“This is really going to be a draw for North Platte from hosting events to bringing new people to town and exposes all the wonderful things we have going on in North Platte, and I just can not say enough good things about this group of volunteers.”-(Gary Person)
Looking Ahead
Besides Cody Park, North Platte also offers pickleball at Memorial Park and an indoor court at Axes & Aces. The new outdoor courts will allow more players to enjoy the game and may encourage more tournaments and events in the future.
News in Brief: New Cody Park Pickleball Courts
North Platte’s Cody Park opened new pickleball courts with a ribbon cutting during NEBRASKAland Days. The event added a tournament to the festival for the first time. City leaders and volunteers made the project possible. The courts are expected to bring both fun and economic growth to the area.
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