Pickleball enthusiasts hit the courts at new complex in Jackson County

JACKSON COUNTY, MI – More than 50 people armed with paddles and neon balls gathered in Cascades Falls Park Monday to check out a new addition to the grounds.

Jackson County Parks and Recreation hosted a grand opening for the newly built Hurst Foundation Pickleball Complex Aug. 28 at 2000 Denton Road, which has been in the works for more than three years. The complex is a vision of the parks department and the Jackson Area Pickleball Association to create a space where people can enjoy the growing sport, JAPA President Bruce Deverman said.

“It’s really fun to see it come to fruition,” county Parks Director Kyle Lewis said. “With the amount of people that showed up today, I just know there’s been a lot of excitement. It’s really rewarding to see it all come together.”

Pickleball is a sport that combines tennis, badminton and table tennis. It’s typically played by two to four players and uses a plastic ball and paddles.

Inside the complex, people can find eight pickleball courts, along with benches and tables. Two courts are designated for beginners, Deverman said.

The remaining courts are for those at intermediate and advanced levels, he said. Along the complex, people can find a sign of rules and guidelines for pickleball as well.

The project cost around $600,000 to build, paid partially through a Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund grant for $300,000 and a mix of community donations, Lewis said. The Hurst Foundation, which received the naming rights for the complex, donated $75,000.

While people can now use the complex, some additional work still needs to be done to the courts. Donation recognition plaques need to be installed, and some additional grass needs to be planted, Lewis said.

Pickleball has taken off nationally in recent years, including in Michigan with communities across the state building courts and to create a potential tourism draw. This includes Jackson County, where there has been an increase in interest in the sport, Deverman said.

“It’s a social game where you can make many friends, have a lot of laughs and get lots of exercise,” Deverman said.

Once Jackson County officials opened the gates to the complex on Monday, people jumped into the courts or in line to get a chance to play. This included Jackson resident Dave Mahon, who was visiting the complex with friend Pam Maynard, who’s also from Jackson.

They love that there is another place in the county where they could play the sport and introduce more people to it. They are also looking forward to Jackson County building more pickleball complexes, including an indoor facility being proposed at the American 1 Credit Union Event Center, located in the Jackson County Fairgrounds/Keeley Park 128 W. Ganson St.

Related: Indoor pickleball court being considered in Jackson County

“It’s so valuable to the community because young and old play it, it’s good for physical conditioning, for socializing with people,” Mahon said. “We just have so much fun doing this…You’re going to see a lot of people, even greater numbers than what we have right now.”

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