Bush Park Pickleball Courts Opening: The city of Fenton has opened new pickleball courts at Bush Park, drawing crowds from the tri-county area. The courts, moved from Rackham Park, opened recently after city approval on Monday, September 23, 2024. They offer a new outdoor activity for players of all skill levels this summer.
The courts are located at Bush Park, one of Fenton’s largest parks. The space features both pickleball and tennis courts. Local players and visitors alike are stopping by to enjoy the game in a scenic, shaded area.
Visitors Try the Courts for the First Time
Emma Peace and Freddie Peace, visiting from the United Kingdom, stopped by the park on Thursday, July 31. It was their first time playing pickleball on a real court.
“We’ve literally just found these otherwise we would have been here every day,” Emma Peace said.
Fenton local Tim Young helped the mother and son learn the game. Emma already knew tennis and was excited to try something new.
“We met Tim (Young) this morning and this is our first proper time playing on a court with rules,” Emma Peace said. “We absolutely love it.”
Emma also shared her thoughts about visiting Michigan.
“It’s very different than the UK,” Peace said. “Everything is so spacious here whereas in the UK everything is very cramped.”
Local Enthusiasm Grows
Tim Young shared that the game is growing quickly in the Fenton and Linden area. He is part of a pickleball group that connects through the Team Reach app.
“Currently, we play at Lake Fenton High School because they have eight courts lined for pickleball,” Young said. “We’ll fill up all eight courts with four (players) per court. We will have 32 players with maybe eight people lined up for pickleball.”
He added that Bush Park has eight courts, but only four are lined for pickleball. The rest are for tennis.
“We will fill those up and have 20 people waiting (to play),” Young said. “Now we have people that are coming here. These are wonderful courts, everyone loves it. The game is pretty critical to the wind so it’s really good here with all of the trees in the hills, it keeps the wind (away).”
Young noted the group’s Team Reach page now has 555 members. He also said that Linden and Southern Lakes Parks & Recreation run a similar group for local games.
Pickleball’s Popularity Continues to Rise
Pickleheads.com reports that pickleball has grown by 311% in the past three years. The website lists 16,289 places to play in the United States and projects an 11.3% annual growth through 2028.
Michigan ranks eighth in the country with 525 courts. Florida holds the top spot with 1,228 courts statewide.
News in Brief: Bush Park Pickleball Courts Opening
Fenton’s Bush Park now has new pickleball courts that are drawing local and visiting players. With growing popularity, players like Emma and Freddie Peace are enjoying the sport. Tim Young reports strong community interest, with many players using Team Reach to find games. The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset.
ALSO READ: Campbell Park Pickleball Courts Get Major Upgrade Thanks to Surprise Price Break