When Kevin Nuppnau, director of the Valparaiso Parks Department, began planning the use of funds for an ambitious $25 million “enhancement” for the existing park landscapes in the city, he discovered a surge of interest for the paddle, net and court sport pickleball.
“Pickleball is a rapidly growing sport,” Nuppnau said.
“And the addition of new courts, funded by the rePLAY initiative, reflects our commitment to providing diverse and accessible recreational amenities for our community. We are thrilled to move forward with this project and bring these much-anticipated pickleball courts to ValPlayso Park.”
The public is invited to a groundbreaking ceremony at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 15 at ValPlayso Park at the intersection of Glendale Boulevard and Roosevelt Road.
In recent years, the Valparaiso Parks Department has converted low-traffic former basketball and tennis hard-surface outdoor courts into pickleball courts at Bicentennial Park, 175 Burlington Beach Road; Tower Park at 1000 Franklin St.; and Kirchhoff Park at 400 Roosevelt Road. The Valparaiso YMCA at 1201 Cumberland has three indoor pickleball courts.
Nuppnau described the excitement about the launch of this week’s project as “a highly anticipated upgrade for ValPlayso Park” for the arrival of six new outdoor pickleball courts.
“Pickleball’s incredible popularity as the fastest-growing sport, coupled with the strong public input we received, underscores the importance of this project,” Nuppnau said.
“We are grateful to be bringing a first-class pickleball experience to residents and visitors.”
One of the first indoor pickleball courts in Northwest Indiana came in September 2021 with the launch of Pickle Time pickleball courts at 10960 Delaware Parkway in Crown Point.
“Pickleball has been around since 1965,” said Jennifer Hall, who co-owns Pickle Time with her husband, Larry.
“Larry first learned about pickleball while working in Florida in 2020 during the NBA bubble time for about four months during the pandemic. He learned to play it and brought the idea home to me.”
The sport can be played with single players or double teams and uses a low net and lined boundary courts with paddles swatting an aerated, light, plastic, bright yellow, green or orange ball, like a Wiffle ball. The game score goes up 11 points, with the winner needing to win by two points, making it similar to tennis scoring.
“Once people start, they just want to keep playing it,” Hall said.
“It’s great exercise, low impact, and it’s as competitive as you want it to be.”
In November 2024, Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott held a ribbon cutting for 12 new indoor pickleball courts at the Jean Shepherd Community Center at 3031 Mahoney Drive in Hammond. The new Hammond YMCA, 6532 Indianapolis Boulevard, which also opened in November 2023, has three indoor courts. Next month, St. John will begin construction on outdoor pickleball courts added to Gates of St. John Park at 10201 Park Place.
Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas believes the new pickleball courts will also draw visitors from neighboring communities to utilize the new play space.
“Over the past decade, it’s been rewarding to add offerings like the Flounder and Friends Skatepark, Creekside Trails, ValPAWraiso Dog Park and more,” Costas said.
“But we’ve never lost sight of the timeless parks we grew up loving. The rePLAY initiative ensures our existing parks remain cherished gathering places for generations to come.”
Parks included in the rePLAY initiative are Kirchhoff Park, Fairgrounds Park, Tower Park, ValPlayso, Foundation Meadows Park, Rogers Lakewood Park, Ogden Botanical Gardens, Glenrose South Park, Will Park and Banta Park.
“The rePLAY initiative is a direct result of ongoing public input and our comprehensive Parks Master Plan,” Nuppnau said.
“This initiative will not only improve our existing parks but also ensure they continue to serve as vital community gathering places.”
Nuppnau said the rePLAY initiative is funded using the bond proceeds that were originally earmarked for the proposed sports park, shelved last year because of the excessive cost, to put the bond funding to immediate use for long-term benefits.
To learn more about the rePLAY initiative and stay updated on project timelines and community engagement opportunities, visit https://valpoparks.org/709/Parks-rePLAY.
Philip Potempa is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
