Construction of these six permanent pickleball courts was completed at Freedom Park in Canton, MI, as part of a Community Benefit Project provided by Pulte Homes, in an effort to enhance sports opportunities and athletics for area residents, with a special emphasis on area seniors.
The public is invited to attend this special event, which will include a ribbon cutting ceremony and light refreshments. Pickleball enthusiasts and those looking to try out the sport are especially encouraged to attend; necessary equipment will be provided.
Funded by a capital contribution from Pulte Homes for Grandview Estates, this conversion of tennis courts to permanent pickleball courts will provide seasonal recreational opportunities for Canton residents to play this latest recreational sensation. Extremely popular in active adult retirement communities, this fun game is now gaining fans of all ages across the country.
Pickleball, often described as a cross between tennis, badminton and Ping-Pong, is played with paddles and a plastic ball on courts about half the size of a tennis court, across a net two inches lower than a tennis net. The ball, which is similar to a Whiffle ball, is hit with a composite paddle that resembles an oversized table-tennis paddle.
“Pickleball is a sport that has been growing among all demographics,” said Jason Lombardo, Summit Facility Coordinator. “It is simple to learn, and beginners are often playing on their own by the end of one lesson. We’re very gratefully for Pulte Homes’ generous donation that enabled us to construct these dedicated pickleball courts.”
Invented in the 1960s on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, pickleball has expanded from a family activity to a net court sport with formalized rules. Now over 40 years later, pickleball is played in thousands of communities across the country. The origin of the sport’s name is often debated, but sources confirm that it was named after one of the original game developer’s family dog, “Pickles,” who would often chase miss-shot balls.
Freedom Park’s pickleball courts are located on the southwest corner of Sheldon and Palmer Roads in Canton, MI. The courts are open to the public on a first come, first serve basis when not in use during scheduled class sessions. Canton Leisure Services will also provide instructional programming to encourage play for all ages on these courts. Additional neighborhood tennis courts are available at Griffin Park, located on Sheldon Road between Cherry Hill and Saltz Roads, and Flodin Park, located at Saltz Road and Morton Taylor Road.
For additional information about Canton’s new pickleball courts and upcoming instructional programming, visit www.cantonfun.org or call the Summit on the Park front desk at 734/394-5460.