Moorhead City Council

Nancy Edmonds Hanson

The fastest growing sport in America is getting a boost in Moorhead, thanks to a grant from Age-Friendly Minnesota.

The Moorhead City Council accepted a grant of $27,977 Monday to convert several underutilized tennis courts to playing fields for pickleball. The funding comes through the Minnesota Department of Human Services, which established the program to help communities work on age-friendly projects and “become better places for all Minnesotans to grow older,” according to its website.

Described as a cross between tennis, badminton and table tennis, the game’s popularity has exploded among older players because of its ease of learning and less demanding physical requirements. It features a lower net, smaller courts and the use of paddles with a perforated ball similar to a Wiffleball.

Parks and Recreation Director Holly Heitkamp said that pickleball courts – especially centers with more than one space to accommodate groups of four to eight players – have been residents’ number-one request of her departnent. At the same time, apparent use of the parks’ tennis courts throughout the city has diminished. Depending on size, one can be adapted as two or three of the smaller pickleball courts.

The city received one-half of the amount it had requested in its application, which had targeted both Hansmann and Riverview Estates park. Because of the limited funding, Heitkamp, said planning has shifted to enabling a full conversion of the courts at Hansmann Park, 1320 12th Ave. N. The northside location was chosen to go first, she said, partly because its tennis court already requires updating to remain usable. “It’s quieter there, and there’s more parking,” she observed, adding, “It’s rarely used.”

The parks department currently has pickleball courts at Alm Park, 1300 Elm St. S., and Horizon Shores Park, 3801 24th Ave. S. The tennis courts at two more parks, Riverview Estates and Village Green, also have pickleball lines. In addition, the school district has 20 courts on school grounds that are available for public play during the summer.

While the popularity of pickleball is undeniable, Heitkamp said her department is seeking public input on the plan to convert the Hansmann courts from tennis to the new, all-ages game. Neighborhood residents can call her office with comments, (218) 299-5340.