Naperville opening 4 pickleball courts

Naperville Park District is preparing to celebrate the opening of four pickleball courts at the Nike Sports Complex near Diehl Road and Mill Street.

The ceremony will start at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, with a ribbon cutting and remarks by park board Vice President Rich Janor, followed by an opportunity to watch or play pickleball on the new courts. Light refreshments will be provided courtesy of the Dunkin' Donuts store at 702 S. Washington St.

The new courts are located on the north side of the park, just east of the tennis courts. Parking is available at the north entrance at 288 W. Diehl Road or at the west entrance at 1520 N. Mill St.

Naperville Park District introduced pickleball to the community in the fall of 2012 by painting pickleball lines on one of the tennis courts at DuPage River Sports Complex. Since that time, the sport has grown in popularity, creating a demand for more courts. The district responded by adding pickleball lines to more tennis courts at DuPage River Sports Complex, Ashbury Park and Ranchview Park, resulting in a total of eight outdoor pickleball courts sharing space with tennis.

When Fort Hill Activity Center opened in 2016 with gymnasium space for indoor pickleball, the weekly pickleball open gyms attracted many players from Naperville and the surrounding area.

With enthusiasm for the sport continuing to grow, the district looked for a way to provide outdoor courts dedicated only to pickleball.

"The location just east of the tennis courts at Nike Sports Complex is an ideal place for pickleball courts," Director of Planning Eric Shutes said. "We're excited to offer four courts that are dedicated to pickleball in a park that is accessible, with parking, restrooms, drinking fountains and many other amenities."