ARLINGTON, Va. — Get ready picklers! There are new spots to play the game coming to Arlington County in the next few months.
Beginning next week, two hitting wall courts will be restriped to allow them to be used for multiple sports at Virginia Highlands Park.
"One pickleball court will be added to each side of the wall," said Erik Beach the park development division chief for Arlington County.
It's part of the Arlington Outdoor Courts Assessment Project. Between the end of July and September, crews will surface, restripe and add acoustic fencing at Fort Scott Park, Marcey Road Park, Hayes Park and Virginia Highlands Park.
A love for the sport continues to grow, a lot. According to data from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, the number of pickleball players has grown from 3.5 million in 2019 to 8.9 million in 2022.
In Arlington, they're also seeing a growing interest in the sport.
Right now there are 18 outdoor courts available for pickleball play:
- Fort Scott Park - One pickleball court striped on tennis court #1.
- Glebe Road Park - Four pickleball courts (two striped on tennis court #1 and two on tennis court #2).
- Gunston Park - Two pickleball courts (striped on a tennis court).
- Lubber Run Park - Four pickleball courts (shared with a volleyball court).
- Walter Reed Park - Nine pickleball courts (six striped on the tennis courts and three on the basketball court).
There are 14 indoor courts available for pickleball games in the community centers of the following gyms during designated times:
- Arlington Mill
- Carver
- Lubber Run
- Thomas Jefferson (adults must have a membership or pay the Daily Visit Fee, which is payable at the front desk)
The Walter Reed Community Center has made headlines in recent months after complaints from neighboring homeowners.
In May, the county held their second engagement session.
Beach says some of the key concerns they've heard from residents include noise, parking, and the layouts.
"We have reduced the number of courts in the original scope from nine courts to six courts," Beach said. "That has the effect of reducing some of the impact of noise, parking and easing the play on the site here."
He says the scope for the pickleball court project includes:
- 6 dedicated pickleball courts at the tennis court area (e.g., court pavement, netting, lighting, fencing, and associated sport equipment)
- Sound reduction measures
- Seating and shade
- Pathways with ADA access improvements
- Storm water management
- Signage
- Landscaping
- Basketball court restriping
They presented two concepts to neighbors, and also asked people if they thought the project should be put on pause.
"One of the important things is if there's a pause, pickleball is still going to exist at Walter Reed in some form. It's not that pickleball is going to go away completely. It would mean that the investment in improving that location would not be done for some defined period of time," said Beach.
He told WUSA9 they received thousands of responses from people and plan to share the findings in August or September.
"If we do proceed the development the next step would be the development of one final concept and test with the community again," said Beach.
There are also noise reducing pickleball paddles and balls available for players to test out at Lubber Run and Walter Reed Community Centers.
The county is asking anyone who tries them out to let them know what they think of them. To give feedback on them, click here.