Work is expected to begin later this fall on the expansion of a pickleball court facility in southeast Albuquerque.
That work at the Manzano Mesa Pickleball Complex, located at 501 Elizabeth Street SE, about 11 miles to the southeast of downtown Albuquerque, will see the building of 15 new pickleball courts, as well as a new restroom, and shade facility.
It is thought that it will cost at least $3.5 million to build the new courts, which will be an addition to the 15 courts already in existence at the complex.
The Manzano facility is in some ways ground zero for pickleball enthusiasts, having opened well over a decade ago as the first pickleball courts in Albuquerque. There are today more than 100 pickleball courts strategically located at sites across the city.
Mayor Tim Keller has announced a plan to eventually build an additional 48 courts, with work on eight new courts scheduled to begin later in the year at the Ventana Ranch Park, located at 10000 Universe Boulevard NW. That $1.5 million project will also see the construction of shade structures and new lighting.
Some of the new planned facilities will include space for both pickleball and tennis.
Pickleball, which sees the use of two or four players hitting a hollow plastic ball over a 36-inch high net with paddles, is regarded as one of the fastest-growing recreational sports in the U.S.
Invented in 1965 as a children’s game on Bainbridge Island in the state of Washington, the sport now counts around 10 million people as semi-regular participants, with industry estimates that that number could increase to around 40 million by the year 2030.
In just the last month, new pickleball courts have been announced for Tahoe City, California; Waxahachie, Texas; and Paducah, Kentucky, among other cities. An $11.5 million addition to the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Center in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, is expected to be completed by early next year.
The game’s curious name, according to the Los Angeles Times, is inspired by a Bainbridge Island dog named Pickles who “liked to chase balls on the court and run off with them.”
By Garry Boulard
