FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Director Steve McDaniel was joined on Tuesday by Fort Wayne Pickleball Inc. president Tim Heffron, local picklers, park officials and staff to celebrate the addition of 30 new pickleball courts to the parks this summer.
The $180,881.00 project resurfaced and converted courts at Foster Park, Lakeside Park, Hamilton Park and Kettler Park. Tillman Park tennis courts were also restriped to accommodate pickleball. Additional amenities include new lighting at Foster Park, new fencing at Hamilton Park with new lighting to come for Lakeside Park in 2023. With these 30 new courts, there are now a total of 36 outdoor courts and six indoor courts at eight parks throughout the city.
Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation director Steve McDaniel observes, “by making more room in our parks for pickleball, we are responding to increasing local interest and preparing for the nearly 40 percent increase this sport has gained across the country in the last two years.” He continues, “According to the USA Pickleball Association, this sport is seeing steady serious players in ages 55 and above, casual players under age 55 and a quickly-growing segment under age 24. We want to be prepared to facilitate the phenomenal increase in this growing recreational sport.”
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