A spending plan is expected to be taken up by the Denver City Council next month that could include upwards of $2 million for the construction of pickleball courts throughout the city.
If approved, the funding would come from the officially named Denver Parks and Open Space Sales Tax overwhelmingly approved by city voters in 2018.
The ballot question in that election, which passed by nearly 62%, proposed raising the local sales tax rate by 0.25% to fund any number of parks, open space, trails, and waterway projects throughout Denver.
If the plan is approved by the council, anywhere between half a dozen and ten pickleball courts will see construction in various parts of the city.
Denver currently has seven pickleball courts of varying sizes, all built in response to a demand for what is one of the most popular recreational activities of the day.
Denver has also established a special Pickleball Planning and Advisory Group, tasked with reviewing possible sites for new courts, while also monitoring the upkeep of existing courts.
Regarded as the country’s fastest growing sport, pickleball is now regularly played by nearly 9 million people, more than three times the number from a decade ago. That growth has prompted dozens of cities and counties across the country to plan and build new pickleball facilities.
In a statement, Tom Cove, chief executive officer of the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, recently remarked: “Pickleball’s growth trajectory gives every indication it will be a significant part of the American sports landscape for the foreseeable future.”
By Garry Boulard
