New Pickleball Courts Unveiled In Peconic

PECONIC, NY — A popular new sport now has a permanent home in Peconic.

On Thursday, Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell and other town staffers marked the official opening of the new, recently completed pickleball courts, located at Tasker Park on Peconic Lane in Peconic.

“We are happy to provide new courts that meet the growing popularity of a sport for the entire public to enjoy,” Russell said.

Although the initial cost of the project was expected to be $50,000, the actual cost came in $10,340 under budget, at $39,660, Russell said; Latham Sand & Gravel excavated the site free of charge and the grading and milling was done in-house by Jeff Standish, Southold Town's director of public works, the superviso said.

Back in 2017, the town board discussed the pickleball courts, with an eye toward accommodating a sport that's rapidly growing in popularity.

Discussing his tentative 2018 budget, Russell said the town would construct the new pickleball courts at Tasker Park; the parks were funded out of the parks and recreation budget, a budget neutral item.

In recent years, the town had allowed pickleball on re-striped tennis courts.

When pickleball enthusiasts first approached the town, Russell said at first the board wasn't sure of the public's interest in the game. Soon, he said, he realized how popular the sport had become.

Janet Douglass, Southold Town's recreation director, said at the 2017 work session that Southold Town was "far behind" what other nearby towns were offering, despite the fact that pickleball's popularity was evidenced in the fact that the numbers of residents playing outnumbered those participating in tennis. The town had been losing revenue because the maximum number of students had to be lowered despite the growing demand, she said.

Standish said issues had also arisen with pickleball players using the tennis courts, including lowering the nets. Also, he said, chalk had to be used to draw in the pickleball lines on the tennis courts.

All agreed that constructing the new courts was a winning idea.

"I don't see pickleball going away," Douglass said, adding that it's a sport popular for all ages, including seniors.

At Tasker Park, Russell said, there was also room for expansion and parking, should the need for additional courts arise.

Standish said some residents had already been asking about lights at the pickleball courts, but the first objective was to get the courts created.

"It's amazing how popular pickleball has become," Southold Town Councilman Bob Ghosio said.

Justice Louisa Evans said she's played in a school gym and found it a fun sport.

Patch photo courtesy Southold Town.