The courts have been set up at the spot where the skating rink goes in the winter. The pickleball net posts can be removed when needed.
“Pickleball is already a popular recreational activity in Springfield, and these new courts provide an added benefit by encouraging community members to visit and engage with the downtown area, complementing the existing pickleball facilities at Snyder Park,” Graves said.
The Snyder Park courts, like those in many cities’ parks, are sometimes full, with others waiting their turn.
The new courts have the unusual backdrop of a downtown setting rather than a park, flanked by the buildings on Main, Fountain and Limestone, as well as the fountain, and City Hall itself.
Ja’Mar Brashears saw the courts Monday when they were first being set up.
“I think they put it up for the summer because we have a lot of people downtown, and a lot of people have picnics down here and have little activities down here, so that’ll be a good addition for downtown Springfield,” he said.
Some other Springfield agencies quickly added their support. The National Trail Parks and Recreation District encouraged pickleball enthusiasts to grab their paddles and head downtown.
“We appreciate the city leaders and staff for providing another recreational opportunity in our community. Thank You!” the park district said.
Clark County Public Library officials confirmed they have pickle ball equipment in their “library of things” at 201 South Fountain Ave., so people could borrow a paddle and walk two blocks north to the courts.
On the Clark County Food Fiends Facebook page, a post encouraged people to have lunch or dinner at one of the roughly 15 eateries downtown, then burn off the calories playing pickleball.
Social media reaction to the project included a lot of excitement, and multiple people saying they wanted to learn how to play.
There were also some complaints, generally lumped in two groups. The first was, will balls bounce onto Main Street creating a safety issue? That’s not impossible, but the fountain should block most of them from reaching the street.
The second was, why didn’t the city use the money to pave roads, prevent shootings, help the homeless or several other causes instead? City officials did not immediately respond to a News-Sun request for how much the three courts cost.
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