South Elgin’s four new dedicated pickleball courts in Panton Mill Park are to open June 1, helping meet the demand for local places to play the increasingly popular sport, officials said.
When complete, they will join the three courts added to Sperry Park as part of a renovation project done in 2025, village spokesman Craig Pierce said.
The village is also going to be offering six beginner pickleball classes this summer at Sperry Park for those who want to learn to play, he said.
Pickleball is becoming a big sport, in part because the smaller court appeals to older players. According to a Sports & Fitness Association report, about 24.3 million people in the United States played pickleball in 2025, up from 22.8% in 2024. The report also noted it’s the fastest-growing sport in the country, with participation skyrocketing 171% over three years.
South Elgin’s new courts offerr the opportunity to “bring another active recreation opportunity to the village center,” Parks & Recreation Department Director Kim Wascher said.
This past week the contractor on the $655,000 project conducted a flood test to ensure there were no low spots in the paving and that the playing area was flat and true, Pierce said. Weather permitting, the court lines will be painted Wednesday, he said.
“After a couple of finishing touches and proper drying time, the contractor expects courts to be available about seven days later,” Pierce said. “Add in the Memorial Day holiday and the potential for losing a day or two to rain, and we expect the pickleballs will be flying by June 1.”
While the village of South Elgin can’t open a restaurant or a retail store, it can do its part to increase activity in the village center by adding amenties like this and thereby increasing potential patrons for businesses that might want to invest in the Route 31 corridor, he said.
“In the past years we’ve added a concert venue, cruise nights, movie nights, splash pad, community events, large-scale rental events and regional training at the Public Safety Center,” Pierce said.
“Combined with scenic fishing spots, outstanding bird watching, connected trails to our award-winning SEBA Park and beyond, and plenty of vehicle traffic, this is an area with daily hustle and bustle primed and ready for a few complimentary businesses.”
Demand for pickleball is not limited to South Elgin. The city of Elgin and Dundee Township Park District are also creating new courts for newcomers and enthusiasts.
In Elgin, a dedicated pickleball court is expected to open in early summer at Summerhill Park, 1375 Concord Drive, and pickleball lines are to be added to the existing tennis courts at Heritage Park, 3140 Heritage Parkway, according to Elgin spokesperson Josie-Beecher Crotty.
The city already has courts at these locations:
- Mulberry Grove Park, 1769 Newbridge, Circle, six dedicated outdoor courts;
- Wing Park, 420 Wing St., four outdoor courts that are shared with tennis courts;
- Lords Park, 100 Oakwood Blvd., four outdoor courts shared with tennis courts;
- Trinity Terrace Park, 540 Trinity Terrace, two outdoor courts shared with tennis courts;
- Settlers Park, 3046 Sutton St., two outdoor courts shared with tennis courts;
- Longcommon Park, 596 Waterford Road, one outdoor court shared with a tennis court;
- Meier Park, 3770 Gansett Parkway, two outdoor courts shared with tennis courts;
- St. Francis Park, 275 Jefferson Ave., two outdoor courts with shared with tennis courts;
- Jack Cook Park, 4600 Plank Road, one outdoor court shared with a tennis court.
- Edward Schock Centre of Elgin Fieldhouse, 100 Symphony Way, seven indoor courts shared with basketball courts.
All outdoor courts are free to use and open from dawn to dusk other than those at Wing and Lords parks, which are lit until 10 p.m., Beecher-Crotty said. They are available for use on a first-come, first-served basis.
Drop-in pickleball for anyone 18 and older at the Schock center costs $6 for residents and $7 for nonresidents. Hours are 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday.
No classes or leagues are currently offered.
While Dundee Township Park District doesn’t have any dedicated outdoor pickleball courts, “we do have pickleball lines on our tennis courts at Grafelman Park in West Dundee and Lions Park in East Dundee to allow enthusiasts to play outdoors,” Executive Director Dave Peterson said.
The district also offers clinics, leagues, lessons and open gym pickleball at the Rakow Center 665 Barrington Ave., Carpentersville, and the Randall Oaks Recreation Center, 500 N. Randall Road, West Dundee, from November through April.
For the sessions, gymnasiums have pickleball lines taped on the floor, Peterson said.
The district has plans to expand pickleball options in the coming year. Its new 2026-27 budget includes funding to build create four courts at Huffman Park in West Dundee.
“Two tennis courts will be repurposed to four pickleball courts with one tennis court still available,” Peterson said.
Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
