Six standalone pickleball courts — the first to be built outdoors in Elgin specifically for the sport — will be added to Mulberry Grove Park on the city’s southwest side next year, officials said.
The new courts are part of a larger plan to update the 1796 Newbridge Circle park, according to Elgin’s Parks and Recreation Department. They will be located next to the park’s existing tennis courts.
“Knowing that there is a desire in the community for standalone pickleball courts, Mulberry Grove Park is an ideal park, primarily because it has the land available that can accommodate this amenity,” Parks and Recreation Director Maria Cumpata said.
While doing research for a new master parks plan, parks and rec staff found there is a community demand for more pickleball courts, Cumpata said. A survey of neighbors around Mulberry Grove Park found more than 80% liked the idea of adding the feature there, she said.
Elgin has 10 outdoor pickleball courts but they share space with tennis courts, with lines on the courts that allow both games to be played. They’re located at Lords Park, 100 Oakwood Blvd.; St. Francis Park, 277 Jefferson Ave.; Settlers Park, 3046 Sutton St.; and Wing Park, 1010 Wing Park Blvd.
There also are nine indoor courts at the Edward Schock Centre in downtown Elgin.
“The Centre courts are very popular during the cold weather months,” Cumpata said. “The players then move outdoors for the warmer months. The courts are very popular and well used. Since the (existing) outdoor courts have a dual use as pickleball and tennis courts, you will see both of these activities taking place.”
Pickleball is a relatively new sport. Invented in 1965 by former Washington state Congressman Joel Pritchard and businessman Bill Bell, the first court was constructed in Pritchard’s back yard, according to usapickleball.com. A report this year by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association found pickleball to be the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. for the third consecutive year.
The new courts are one part of Mulberry Grove Park’s renovation. There will also be new playground equipment installed because the original pieces date back to 2005 and exceed the National Recreation and Parks Association’s recommended lifespan of 15 years.
The existing equipment has aged badly and some pieces have had to be removed because replacement parts can’t be found, officials said.
Neighbors will be surveyed to find out what kind of equipment they’d like to see at the 5-acre park before any purchases are made. Selections will be made from variety of options from several manufacturers presented to the public.
Cumpata said kids like elements that challenge their physical capabilities so they’ll be looking for equipment that incorporate six play elements: balancing, spinning, brachiating, sliding, climbing and swinging.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
