Regional
matters
continued
SLO PICKLEBALL
PLAYERS WANT
MORE COURTS —
THE CITY WILL SPEND
$120,000 TO MAKE IT
HAPPEN BY NICK WILSON
T
he San Luis Obispo Pickleball Club meets nearly
every day to play a sport that’s becoming so popular
there’s typically a 20-minute wait just to get on a
court.
The fast-growing sport some describe as a cross between
ping-pong, tennis and badminton—long popular with
seniors and also now a growing younger demographic—
has led the city to approve the construction of three new
permanent pickleball courts at French Park.
The new courts are expected to be
completed this summer and would be
the first full-time pickleball courts
in the city, according to Shelly
Stanwyck, the city’s parks and
recreation director.
Pickleball players now are granted part-time use
of facilities at Meadow Park, Ludwick Community
Center and French Park — where they share the spaces
with other activities. Makeshift pickleball courts with
removable nets are set up on a dual-use tennis court at
French Park so that eight doubles teams can play at a
time on four divided courts.
“When I was first elected, the pickleball lobby
was one of the strongest in town, and they’re a very
committed and passionate group,” Mayor Heidi Harmon
said at the City Council meeting. “If you haven’t played
pickleball, I highly recommend it. I went out and played
with them. I can see why they’re quite passionate about
it.”
The park is located off Tank Farm Road at 1040 Fuller
Road — and the new courts will allow for opportunities
to play all day and for the club to host tournaments.
The Pickleball Club has 135 dues-paying members
and 250 people signed on to its interest list, said Brian
O’Kelly, president of the nonprofit club. The club
marked 9,200 player days last year, referring to the
number of days that individual players showed up to
play in the city of SLO.
“Every day that we play, we have 20 people standing
around just waiting to play,” O’Kelly said. “We’re
one of the last communities in the county not to
have permanent pickleball courts. These new courts
are definitely needed and will help us provide more
opportunities for players young and old.”
Continued on page 70 >
Pickleballers take to the
courts at French Park in
San Luis Obispo, where
three new courts will
be going in. They will
be the first permanent
pickleball courts in the
city where there is a high
demand to play.
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