Meridian Parks and Recreation on Wednesday broke ground on new pickleball courts being added at Northeast Park, and when complete, they will be a needed addition to the city’s growing catalog of recreational opportunities.

 

If you haven’t heard, pickleball is the in sport right now, with more than 48.3 million Americans reportedly playing the sport in 2023. According to the Association of Pickleball Professionals, the sport has grown by more than 200% in the past few years. For context, approximately 2.6 million Americans run in 5k races each year.

 

The demand for the facilities are certainly there, and the more people using our city parks the better, and safer, they will be.

 

Meridian Parks and Recreation previously renovated some of its tennis courts at Sammie Davidson into pickleball courts on the west side of the city, but that can be a long way to travel for east Meridian residents, especially along the North Hills corridor during rush hour. Having courts at Northeast Park will be a welcome feature for those wanting to avoid the congestion.

 

While Meridian Parks and Recreation and the department’s director, Thomas Adams, deserve thanks and credit for the planning and effort that has gone into getting the Northeast project off the ground, thanks are also due to members of the Meridian Pickleball Association.

 

As Adams explained Wednesday, it was association members who first brought the issue to him and continued to support the project as it worked through the city’s planning and funding process.

 

Government is excruciatingly slow, and it would not have been the first time a good idea was abandoned out of sheer frustration over the lack of progress. The players, however, stuck with it, and the entire community will benefit from their efforts.

 

It will still be several months at least until the pickleball courts are ready to use as the plans still need to be finalized, advertised for contractors to bid on and approved by the City Council, which will have three new members by the time bids are received.

 

More patience is needed, but the wheels are turning, and the pickleball courts will be built. When they are, they will be a welcome and needed addition to Northeast Park.