This SLO County city is opening 4 new pickleball courts. Here’s when and where
San Luis Obispo County just got four new pickleball courts.
The city of Atascadero worked with a local group, the Atascadero Pickleball Club, to build the outdoor, permanent pickleball courts at Colony Park Community Center.
They’re located behind the basketball courts at Colony Park at 5599 Traffic Way in Atascadero, according to a news release.
A ribbon cutting ceremony for the courts was held at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Atascadero resident Barbara Sims, the president of the Atascadero Pickleball Club, said she couldn’t be more excited.
“(The courts) are absolutely gorgeous, professional, permanent pickleball courts for the entire community to play on,” Sims said. “The whole community is invited to attend.”
Why play pickleball?
According to the release, the sport of pickleball is a combination of ping pong, badminton and tennis, but involves a lot less running than those activiies.
Sims said that the sport was developed in Washington state in the 1960s, but has exploded in popularity in the past 10 to 15 years.
“Pickleball is the rage of the country. It’s the rage of the world. It’s the fastest growing sport in America,” Sims said.
The Atascadero Pickleball Club was launched in 2013 and has about 60 to 80 members.
Sims said she and her significant other joined the group a few years ago, adding that playing pickleball quickly became part of her daily routine.
“It gets me up and going and I get to visit with my friends and get a great workout,” Sims said.
She described pickleball as a lighthearted and social sport where players can work up a sweat playing for a few hours without getting too exhausted, she said.
“The hallmark of our club is that it’s friendly, welcoming and fun” on and off the court, Sims said.
“We have met so many wonderful people playing pickleball that we go on vacation with, go out to dinner with, have summer parties, Christmas parties,” Sims said.
The club is always looking for new members, she said.
Beginners are welcome, and though the club is comprised of a lot of retirees, it is open to all ages, Sims said.
New Atascadero courts
According to Sims, the Atascadero Pickleball Club has been advocating for new, permanent courts in Atascadero for the past four to five years, Sims said.
Arroyo Grande, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo and Templeton have installed permanent pickleball courts as the sport has grown in popularity locally, she noted, making Atascadero one of the final communities in San Luis Obispo County to get permanent courts.
“That’s why it’s so exciting for us,” Sims said.
Kirk Construction of Atascadero was hired to build the courts, a project that cost about $250,000, according to the news release.
The permanent, outdoor courts was funded by $150,000 from the City Parkland Facilities Impact Fees and the remainder was funded by donations and in-kind services from the Atascadero Pickleball Club, according to the release.
The Atascadero Pickleball Club plays at the Colony Park courts from 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday.
After that, the courts are open to the public, Sims said.
This story was originally published November 13, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
