Ribbon cutting ceremony unveils new pickleball courts
Dec 02, 2016 01:44PM ● By Brian Shaw
City officials and members of the community were on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony for two new pickleball courts on Oct. 27 at the Columbus Center. (Travis Barton/City Journals)
By Brian Shaw | [email protected]
With pickleball being all the rage in South Salt Lake these days, played several days during the week and even on some evenings inside of the Columbus Center, what better time than now to announce the building of a new outdoor court?
“I think it’s gonna be a big step for the public to feel like they can just show up to play [on the new pickleball court] and the best part is that it’s free,” said Dustin Permann, South Salt Lake recreation coordinator.
On Oct. 26 at 12:30 p.m., Mayor Cherie Wood and Urban Design Director Sharen Hauri were on hand at Central Park—just southwest of the new basketball courts the Larry H. Miller Foundation donated—to christen the new pickleball court and cut the ribbon. In Permann’s estimation, the timing couldn’t be better.
“Our indoor courts are filling up three days a week now, so we figured that with the cement pad left over from the old elementary school building of the basketball courts it was a good time to do this,” added Permann. “Now people can come and play whenever and they won’t have to get on a list to do it.”
With the decision to build the pickleball court came the task of finding someone to resurface the court. Bimbo Bakeries stepped in and chipped in about $5,000, Permann said, helping defray some of the upfront costs by donating nets and resurfaing of the court.
The court itself was made out of the same Sport Court surface as the basketball courts, Permann added.
To find the new pickleball court, Permann said, you’ll just park on Claybourne Avenue and walk towards the LHM basketball courts. You’ll see the new pickleball court just southwest of the basketball courts, he said.
