Four New Pickleball Courts Installed At Anderson Park

BY MIKE McCARTHY | MIRROR EDITOR — The growing popularity of the sport of pickleball has spurred the creation and introduction of four new playing courts at Anderson Park in Maumee.

Constructed in late June and early July and opened just last week, the courts are already seeing plenty of activity during weeknights and the weekend as Maumee residents of all ages are taking advantage of the opportunity to share in some recreational fun with friends and family members while also enjoying the added health benefits of fresh air and cardio exercise.

The creation of the new courts is the culmination of a yearlong study conducted by the Maumee Parks & Recreation Committee, according to Maumee City Council member and committee chairperson Jon Fiscus.

“It actually dates back to last year when the new committee members decided to take a look at all of the city’s parks to develop an idea of where things could be improved,” noted Fiscus.

“At that time, the committee actually thought that pickleball might be a challenge at Anderson Park due to parking limitations, so adding a few courts at Library Park was thought to be the best option,” Fiscus explained.

“Council member Gabe Barrow actually deserves much of the credit, as he struck up a conversation with Chad Buck from Buck Brothers Asphalt Paving & Concrete, and they provided a quote back in May of this year,” Fiscus stated.

Barrow stated that he had been conducting some research with a couple of companies that had the capability of constructing the courts. 

“A local company in the area did not return two calls and an out-of-town company wouldn’t work on refurbishing the current court in the condition that ours was in,” Barrow explained.

“The Buck Brothers had an opening in their schedule and the products needed were available,” Barrow noted. 

“Things moved quickly at that point. Jon Fiscus kept the project on the front burner,” Barrow added.

Fiscus stated that the Parks & Recreation Comm-ittee continued to discuss the idea and decided to move forward with it, pending input from the Maumee community.

“One resident, Russ McEwen, was extremely helpful in giving insight into both the history of activities at Anderson Park, but also the intricacies of pickleball,” Fiscus stated.

“He reminded us that one of the Little League fields used to be located at Anderson Park, which created a larger parking lot demand than pickleball courts,” Fiscus explained.

“Mr. McEwen even brought sidewalk chalk and helped to show us various ways to lay out the courts and to ultimately choose the most advantageous setup,” Fiscus noted.

On May 26, the Maumee Finance Committee recommended the funding for the courts following the May 24 recommendation from the Parks & Recreation Comm-ittee for the construction of four new pickleball courts at Anderson Park.

Maumee City Council then approved the recommendations from both committees at its June 5 meeting, which allowed enough time for the construction of the courts in time for a mid-July opening.

McEwen and his son, Matt, generously hosted a free pickleball instructional clinic at Anderson Park last Sunday morning. Matt is a Maumee High School alumnus who currently teaches at Bowling Green High School and serves as a tennis pro at Stone Oak Country Club.

The event was announced on social media with relatively short notice and was surprisingly well attended with 24 enthusiastic individuals showing up on a Sunday morning, eager to learn the rules and nuances of the sport. 

Editor’s Note: Please see related story in the sports section.