Often citied as the fastest-growing sport in North America, pickleball is taking up residence at Hillendale Park in Oregon City, one of the first public courts on the east side of the Willamette River.
Having obtained the approval of the Oregon City Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, the USA Pickleball Association this weekend will be restriping tennis courts at Hillendale Park to convert them into multiuse courts.
Described as a combination of tennis, badminton and pingpong, the game is played on half of a tennis court with a paddle and a wiffle ball. Although people of all ages have taken up pickleball, many active senior citizens are drawn to the game as it is quick to learn and gentler on the body than tennis.
Oregon City resident Rita Maynard and her husband, Robert Small, have led the effort to bring the sport here. They became hooked on pickleball immediately after being introduced to the sport last year. Finding no local pickleball courts, they put on a well-attended demonstration last year at Clackamas Community College, taping pickleball court lines on the tennis courts. That event gave them momentum to lobby Oregon City Parks and Recreation to transition tennis courts to include pickleball at a city park.
There is now the ability to have five pickleball courts in active play, Maynard said. This is great news as many pickleball enthusiasts enjoy having scheduled play time so they can compete with different players. Pickleball is a sport that welcomes folks at all levels.
At 9 a.m. Saturday, June 20, the group will launch the new Hillendale Pickleball Park with a free barbecure, prizes, refreshments and gifts. There will be coaches on hand with loaner paddles ready for new enthusiasts to learn the sport.
For more information, contact Tom Widden, pickleball district ambassador, at 503-718-4496, wibblecompany@msn.com, or call Robert Small 503-750-3167.