HATFIELD — Pickleball courts may be coming to town, but the exact location where participants in the sport will play is still to be determined.
The Select Board this week took under advisement an appeal from resident Julie Pokela to use the basketball courts on School Street, next to Memorial Town Hall and the police and fire departments, as the site to create two pickleball courts.
“Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the world,” Pokela said, providing estimates showing that 4.8 million Americans are playing it.
The town center location would be ideal, Pokela said, and could also bring people of all ages to the site.
The appeal has also been made to the town’s Recreation Committee. Member Danielle Stanisewski told the Select Board that the committee could support the temporary spot for pickleball and then in 2023 seek funding through the Community Preservation Act account to build official courts, once a site is identified.
Both Northampton and Amherst are using CPA funds to make public pickleball courts.
Select Board Chairwoman Diana Szynal said while she likes the idea of having pickleball courts, she doesn’t want to diminish access to those who play basketball. “I think those courts are used a lot,” Szynal said.
Pokela said the pickleball courts, which are 20 feet by 44 feet, can be created using portable nets, which would allow for the shared use of the basketball courts, possibly depending on the time of day.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
