Lebanon city unveils new pickleball courts at Coleman Memorial Park

Tuesday afternoon, pickleball players and others in the community braved sweltering heat to watch the unveiling of four pickleball courts in Coleman Memorial Park.

Coleman Memorial Park trustee Joe Morales explained that the pickleball courts, located by the amphitheater, were constructed on the site of old tennis courts, which had fallen out of use and repair.

With state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant funding (which Morales thanked state Rep. John Schlegel’s office for helping to obtain) and American Rescue Plan Act funds distributed by Lebanon County Commissioners, as well as monetary and in-kind donations, the courts were renovated and opened to the public.

“There were a lot of people instrumental in making the courts come to fruition,” said Morales. “This park is a regional asset that covers the entire county.”

Justin Tice, who advised trustees on pickleball, said that the sport’s rapid growth and surge in demand is largely due to the accessibility of the sport throughout different age groups and experience levels.

“It is a worldwide sport that is growing by the millions, to the point that by 2030 it’s expected to be one of the biggest sports in the sporting industry,” said Tice. On why pickleball is so popular, he said, “I think, first and foremost, being able to bring generations together, even potentially at the same skill level. Whether you’re just getting started or an expert, it’s easy to figure out.”

Though pickleball has been the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. for several years (tripling from 4.2 million to 13.6 million participants from 2020 to 2023), infrastructure has not caught up, including locally.

Many players, Tice explained, drive long distances to find a field, or use tape and temporary nets to modify (often little-used) tennis fields for pickleball.

“Up until this last year, it has been very hard to find outdoor pickleball locations locally,” he said, referencing a surge in local pickleball locations.

South Hills unveiled six pickleball courts last week, and Optimist Park plans to add pickleball courts soon.

Tice said a key feature of the Coleman Park courts is net dividers that separate the courts, preventing most wayward balls from bouncing into other ongoing games.

A pickleball tournament with a novice/intermediate division and an advanced division will be held at the new courts on Aug. 30. Tice said they are looking for sponsors and participants, with more information available on the Coleman Park website.

Coleman Memorial Park has seen significant renovations over the last few years, including a disc golf course, a bike pump track, improvements to the amphitheater and buildings in the park, trails, and more.

Read More: Coleman Memorial Park unveils disc golf course [Photo Story]

“We’re really proud with all of the amenities we’ve been able to add over the last 12 years,” said Mayor Sherry Capello, recalling a day this year she visited the park and counted 70 people just in one portion of the park. “Not only is it a regional park, but it’s also becoming a destination park. On a day like today, you can still stand in the shade and enjoy your time outside rather than being cooped up in a hot house, because there’s so many trees.”

Morales said the board’s first concern when considering projects is whether existing structures need maintenance. “After that, we look at what the community wants; in this case, we didn’t have pickleball courts and we knew it was booming nationally,” he said.

Projects are funded through a combination of government contributions (both from the city and the county), grants, and fundraising. The newest project planned for the park, on land owned by the city previously used for a swimming pool, is a dog park.

Capello said construction on the dog park is behind due to an unusually rainy season, but is progressing, with electrical conduits installed, concrete pads poured, and fence posts placed. A dog park, Capello said, was among the most requested amenities by locals.

The courts are open for play, with other park events including music in the park and a Safety Carnival this Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m.