Pictona Community Garden
“ There are people who have flown from different parts of the country to visit this facility and we ’ re seeing more and more of them ,” she said .
Lockett was part of the team that attracted the Bainbridge Cup tournament , hosted by the International Federation of Pickleball , to the facility in April 2021 . It was the first time the tournament has been held in the United States , and buoyed by the success , Lockett says tournaments will continue to be part of Pictona ’ s future programming .
“ Part of our vision is to become a leader in the pickleball community ,” she said . “ What makes Pictona really unique is Rainer and Julie ’ s vision for Pictona is that it ’ s a community center and pickleball is the activity that brings everybody here .”
Bocce Ball
Outdoor Play at Pictona
Girl Scouts playing Cornhole
Level Up : As A Community Hub , What ’ s Next ?
The success of Pictona can be seen in the solid membership numbers , pickleball courts – 24 total , 8 of them covered , in play on any day of the week - and active use of the fullservice clubhouse .
The facility is further enhanced by a Senior
Activity Center ( SAC ), sponsored by Florida Health Care Plans and available for the community ’ s use at no cost . Amenities include the outdoor recreation courtyard where adults and youth from the local area enjoy a variety of sports such as bocce ball , shuffleboard and croquet , or they may spend time in the 36 plot community garden complete with hydroponic towers onsite , providing fresh , leafy greens for use in the onsite restaurant , ‘ The Kitchen ,’ available to both players and the community .
The facility has generated $ 800,000 since opening according to Mark Shaw , marketing and sales director for Pictona at Holly Hill .
“ We ’ ve had more than 55,000 visitors to Pictona since we first opened . This includes members , visitors , tournament players and Senior Activity Center participants ,” shared Shaw .
The popularity of Pictona as a community hub has put the City of Holly Hill on the map as a destination , and local businesses outside of the sports arena are also benefiting .
“ Over the past year the City has seen evidence that the development of Pictona and its success has brought positive attention to the City . Pictona is well known around the United States and is often referenced by players at other facilities as a wonderful destination . Several people from outside the area have contacted the Chamber of Commerce looking to relocate their homes closer
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