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Pickleball courts set for July 18 reopening
Out of commission since last year, the pickleball courts at Robe-Ann Park will be in the spotlight Saturday, July 18.
The Putnam County Pickleball Club will celebrate the six courts’ long-awaited return to use in a grand reopening celebration set for 6-9 p.m.
The Park Board approved the celebration date at its June meeting at City Hall.
One of the fastest-growing sports in America, pickleball is a paddleball sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis. Players use wooden paddles to hit a Whiffleball-like ball over the net.
Mitch Dickerson of the Putnam County Pickleball Club noted that he “appreciates the great working relationship with Rod (Park Director Weinschenk) and the park.”
He also reported that five lights for the tennis and pickleball courts need to be replaced.
Dickerson also asked that pickleball lines be added to the two easternmost of the three tennis courts to allow use for pickleball, especially during tournaments.
The Park Board, however, said it needed to seek out the thoughts of tennis players.
“It’s wise to get their spin,” board member Cathy Merrell said. “They’ve been there a lot longer than pickleball.”
The pickleball club also said it will purchase a windscreen, asking it to be installed at the west side of the pickleball courts. The windscreen will be attached to new fencing going in, Weinschenk said.
The Park Board agreed to the windscreen addition as long as the fence can handle it.
Meanwhile, for a board that has seen the city pool season, the SPARK program and other activities canceled, there was some good news.
First, the board learned that the annual Parkfest concert series will begin on Tuesday, June 16. Proper social distancing will be urged as gatherings are limited to 250 people.
“If we offer it, we live with what we get,” Weinschenk said, noting that he doesn’t want to be “the social distancing police, but if there’s a problem, I can help out.”
Also scheduled as the first theatrical production at the new bandshell in Robe-Ann Park is the Putnam County Playhouse “Shakespeared!” Youth Theatre production directed by Çaroline Good.
The Park Board gave unanimous approval to stage the youth production, which is divided into high school and middle school groupings, July 16-18.
In other business, the Park Board:
-- Granted approval for the Greencastle Youth Football League to use a portion of Big Walnut Sports Park for practice space. The football league will return to Greencastle school fields on Aug. 1.
-- Advised Greencastle Youth Baseball officials that engineers are moving forward on a project to not only redo the parking lot but install new dugouts and better drainage. The dugouts on the Youth League field were damaged during a May thunderstorm. Mayor Bill Dory said he hopes to get the project done sometime this fall. The parking lot portion of the project was let for bids last year and no bidders responded.
Park Board President Tim Trigg was joined for the two-hour meeting that saw the 2020 swim season canceled at the city pool (see story in the Tuesday, June 9 Banner Graphic) by John Hennette and Cathy Merrell in person and Joanna Muncie via Zoom. Also in attendance were Park Assistant Director Chrysta Snellenberger, Park Maintenance Director David Bault and Mayor Dory.
The board will next meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 2 at City Hall.