Lebanon cuts ribbon on renovated tennis and pickleball courts at Optimist Park

The City of Lebanon held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday morning for newly renovated tennis and pickleball courts at Louser Memorial Park Southwest, or Optimist Park.

Mayor Sherry Capello cut the ribbon on the recently completed project, which includes three tennis courts, two pickleball courts, and two small tennis courts for use of youth 10 and under.

“Adding pickleball courts here ensures that Southwest Park remains a vibrant, inclusive space where our community can stay active, connect, and enjoy healthy recreation together,” said Capello before the ceremony. “Today’s ribbon-cutting isn’t just about adding new courts, it’s about what they represent: community, collaboration, and investment in our city’s future.”

The idea for the renovation, Capello explained, came about in 2019 during discussions with Jeff Robbins and Mark Seaton of the Lebanon Valley Community Tennis Association, who were also in attendance Monday. The idea was pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she said, and was eventually scaled down from an indoor tennis facility to the outdoor reconstruction eventually completed.

The project, which Capello said would cost around $328,361 in April, was paid for through a $110,630 Local Share Account grant, $105,000 from the U.S. Tennis Association, $10,000 from the Middle States Division of the organization, $25,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds, $10,000 in REACH funding, and $10,000 raised from community members through the Lebanon Valley Tennis Association.

The ceremony was attended by representatives of state Sen. Chris Gehbard’s and state Rep. John Schlegel’s offices, city councilwoman Karen Haitos, County Commissioner Jo Ellen Litz, employees of Steckbeck Engineering & Surveying Inc. (which engineered the project), and contractor Joe Heiser of Horst Excavating.

Optimist Park is one of many local recreation facilities to recently add pickleball courts, including Coleman Memorial Park and South Hills Park, which held ribbon-cutting ceremonies for new facilities last summer. Pickleball has been considered the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. since 2021, with it especially surging in popularity during COVID-19.

“This addition is a direct response to what’s happening across the country. Pickleball’s popularity has absolutely surged in recent years, making it the fastest-growing sport in the United States,” said Capello. “It’s easy to learn, affordable to play, and appeals to all ages and skill levels. Its combination of fun, fitness, and social interaction has made it a favorite among families, youth, and seniors alike.”

After the ceremony, Capello explained that this project was phase one of renovations planned for the park. The city hopes to refurbish basketball courts, put a windscreen up by the courts, and possibly make improvements to the pavilion and bathroom, she said. The city has also floated the idea of a splash pad in the park.

Read More: Dog park, splash pad in the works at city’s Coleman and Southwest parks

Before this renovation, Optimist Park housed only tennis courts, which hadn’t been resurfaced in around 40 years. Though the courts were already in use, Seaton and Robbins said they hoped the upgrades would increase park usage.

“We do free clinics throughout the summer, we partner through camps,” explained Robbins. “So routinely, on a summer day, we may have as many as 100 kids out here on the courts with free tennis instruction, free tennis equipment that they get to take home after the week, and we’ve been doing that since 2019. It’s something that families and kids look forward to every summer.”

Seaton said that he looks forward to working with kids from nearby housing developments, adding that “it’s really neat to see those kids back year after year and just watch them grow.”

The project also included the region’s first dedicated junior courts. Robbins said that, while teaching younger kids, they often need to bring out temporary nets and draw temporary lines, and the dedicated junior courts eliminate the need to do so.

“This is a huge opportunity to introduce young kids to the game of tennis,” he said.

Both tennis and pickleball promote the health of players, with Robbins noting that the U.S. Tennis Association recently declared tennis the world’s healthiest sport both due to physical and mental benefits for participants.

Pickleball, Seaton said, is similar to tennis but has a lower point of entry. Though youth participation has increased recently, pickleball also has a significant senior citizen player-base.

“You see a lot of non-athletes on a pickleball court, it’s very social,” said Seaton. “It’s very social, people love to spend two and a half, three hours. They bring their chairs, they sit in between games, and it’s just a really great time.”