Hillsborough County Set To Double Number Of Pickleball Courts

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — Pickleball players can look forward to plenty more places to play after the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners approved using up to $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding for nearly three dozen additional courts.

Commissioners unanimously approved funding for 34 courts at six parks. Some additional courts will be new while others will be converted from existing tennis or multi-use courts; all will have LED lighting.

The use of COVID-19 federal relief funds for capital construction cost is authorized under a provision allowing local governments to use the money to mitigate funding lost during the pandemic.

In recent years, the popularity of pickleball has exploded nationally and in Hillsborough County, where it's the fastest-growing sport at the county's parks and recreation centers.

As the sport has boomed, Hillsborough County has been rapidly adding courts. As of 2021, the county had 14 dedicated courts for pickleball and another 18 that could be used for pickleball or tennis. The additional pickleball courts funded by the American Rescue Plan Act will more than double that total.

The parks slated for the pickleball courts include the following:

• Higginbotham Park, eight courts
• Progress Village Park, four courts
• Balm Park, eight courts
• Springhead Park, four courts
• Westwood Lakes Park, two courts.
• Northlakes Sports Complex, eight courts

Pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. The game features paddles, a net about 3 feet high, a plastic ball with holes, and can be played indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court. Like tennis, games can be played as singles or doubles.

According to the USA Pickleball Association, about 4.2 million people play pickleball in the country, with an average age of 38.

The Hillsborough County American Rescue Plan Investment Plan approved by the county commission on Sept. 1 provides a framework for investing the $285 million in federal coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds in the community.