Two Everett parks to get pickleball striping on sport courts

EVERETT — Pickleball likely is coming to Forest and Legion parks later this year.

The Pacific Northwest-created game is one of several additions and renovations planned to begin this spring at the parks’ sport courts. The Everett City Council is considering $550,000 to repair, resurface and restripe the courts, install new tennis nets and posts as well as adjustable basketball hoops, benches, drinking fountains, solar-powered trash compactors, and improve access for people with mobility limitations.

The courts last were resurfaced at least 15 years ago and need repairs, assistant parks director Bob Leonard said at the City Council meeting Feb. 19. The City is using the work to expand how visitors use the two parks.

More park courts could follow.

“We definitely like to maximize a space and (its) uses, and we get a lot more calls all the time for pickleball,” Leonard said at the council meeting.

The game is a cross between tennis and table tennis, with a court identical in size to one used for badminton, a net, a pickleball (like a Wiffle ball but smaller and more dense), and paddles.

Out of the 45 city-owned parks in Everett, only Garfield in the Riverside neighborhood offers pickleball. Only one court there is solely dedicated to pickleball. The others share a tennis court.

Edmonds, home to “Mr. Pickleball” Roger BelAir, has six dedicated pickleball courts at Yost Park.

The work will add striping for one pickleball court at Legion Park and two at Forest Park.

Members of the fledgling Everett Pickleball Club frequent the Garfield Park court and often travel to Marysville for games, club President Nancy Purcell said. The group was setting goals, one of which was to work with Everett Parks and Community Services to develop more places to play, when it learned of the city’s pickleball court plans.

“I’m just ecstatic,” Purcell said. “We couldn’t be happier.”

Any tennis court can be converted for pickleball, with the right equipment. Tennis nets are higher, and must be ratcheted down to 34 inches in the middle for a true pickleball game. Portable nets, which cost $130 and up, are another option. Pickleball courts are smaller, but lines can be marked with tape.

When the weather makes outdoor games unpleasant, players flock to Boys & Girls Club and YMCA facilities around Snohomish County, including in Everett and Marysville. At the Everett Family YMCA, pickleball gets court time six days a week.

Ingrid Johansen played when she was in junior high and decades later returned to the sport when the new Everett YMCA opened in December. She was part of the regular morning session Wednesday, serving, returning and volleying with the more experienced athletes.

“I’m improved and the people are nice,” she said.

Allan Wolff, who rotated in to play doubles with her and who has played for years, also praised the benefits of the game.

“It’s not as hard as tennis, but as you can see you do break a sweat,” he said, pointing to soaked spots on his shirt.

The Marysville Pickleball Club, with about 100 dues-paying members, plays at Cedarcrest and Totem middle schools. Some of the members play at the Garfield courts, too.

“Pickleball is becoming huge,” club President Tom Lamoureux said.

Lamoureux and Purcell both lauded the sport as cross-generational and open to varying levels of athleticism. Plus, they said, it’s fun.

“Pickleball, someone said, is seniors’ last hurrah,” Purcell said. “And it really is. You don’t look at the clock.”

The USA Pickleball Association website has a list of almost 4,000 locations to play.

The renovated Forest Park sport courts will keep their use for basketball, floor hockey and tennis. The project’s estimated cost is more than $316,000. The park also is upgrading its playground, which is now closed.

Legion Park’s sport court is set for similar functions, but not the field hockey nets. Work is projected to cost around $238,000.

“I really appreciate the multi-use aspect of this and the pickleball, getting more opportunities for more people,” Councilmember Paul Roberts said.

The courts are first-come, first-served, and are expected to be ready for play this summer or fall, depending on weather.

Other Everett parks could see pickleball in their future. Leonard said the sport court at Lowell Park is scheduled for resurfacing and striping for pickleball and tennis. The city is evaluating Howarth Park’s tennis courts for renovation to include pickleball, as well.

Ben Watanabe: bwatanabe@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3037. Twitter: @benwatanabe.