Jacksonville Pickleball Court Funding Plan: The Jacksonville City Council has voted to apply for an Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development grant to help fund new pickleball courts. The decision came during a council workshop held on Monday, July 28, 2025, with all six members voting in favor of the application.
If approved, the city could receive over $1 million from the grant program. An additional $600,000 in matching funds from community fundraising may also support the project. The exact location and number of courts have not yet been decided.
Community Shows Strong Interest
The meeting drew a large crowd of pickleball supporters. So many people attended that extra chairs had to be added to the meeting room. South Jacksonville village President Dick Samples also joined to see how Jacksonville is handling the growing interest in the sport.
Dick Samples said he was observing the process because
“pickleball court discussions had come up in his village, too.”
Most council members showed strong support for using grant money to build the courts. Alderwoman Lori Oldenettel, who leads the Parks and Lakes Committee, said the engineering team would start working on project plans in the coming weeks.
“So, once the engineers start to put some numbers together, we can look at the footprint and then lay it into a couple places to see what makes sense,” (Lori Oldenettel).
Financial Questions and Future Plans
Alderman Don Cook, chair of the Finance Committee, asked about the potential income from pickleball. Community members at the meeting explained that pickleball tournaments bring people into town who spend money on gas, food, and hotels.
Even if the grant isn’t awarded, Mayor Andy Ezard said the project won’t be dropped.
“If we don’t get the money here, it’s not to say that it’s (pickleball) going away, it’s just to say we have to plan accordingly, and it’ll be more of a slice of the pie in the capital improvement budget,” (Andy Ezard).
He added,
“And I know that’s your (Cook’s) fear, ‘Where’s the money? Where’s the revenue stream?’ I think that’s all our fear but … we’re convinced that pickleball is here to stay for a while.”
Grant Offers a Strong Opportunity
The city has a better chance of winning the grant because of current recreation shortages. A major part of the grant’s scoring system is based on how much a city needs more outdoor activities.
Jacksonville does not have a city recreation center, and the only two tennis courts in town can’t be used.
“It’s embarrassing that we’re (a population of) 17,000 and we don’t have a municipal facility yet,”. “And that’s on us, OK? It is what it is, but it’s a shame that we don’t have that.”(Andy Ezard)
Mayor Andy Ezard also said that if the city moves forward, local pickleball players should help design the project to make sure it fits tournament needs.
The city now has two months to submit its full grant plan and decide on the best location for the courts.
News in Brief: Jacksonville Pickleball Court Funding Plan
The Jacksonville City Council voted 6-0 to apply for a major grant to build pickleball courts. The city may receive over $1 million, plus matched local funds. Final court plans are not decided yet, but officials say pickleball is a growing need, and the project will move forward either way.
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