YORKTON - The first dedicated outdoor pickleball courts in Yorkton were officially opened at Heritage Heights Park Saturday afternoon.
A co-operative effort between Pickleball Yorkton, which invested $50,000, the project features four pickleball specific courts and two multi-use courts. The City of Yorkton invested the reminder of the dollars for the $300,000 project.
Pickleball Yorkton president Gina Resler was all smiles as the courts were opened.
“This means the world to Yorkton Pickleball, it’s members, new players, and the City of Yorkton,” she told Yorkton This Week.
Resler admitted there was a time when she wondered if dedicated pickleball courts would be built in the city. However, working with the city “we made it happen,” she said.
So will Pickleball Yorkton now work toward additional courts?
“We’re not really sure what the goal is next,” said Resler, in terms of courts.
But, Resler said the club does know it wants to host an outdoor tournament on the outdoor courts in 2026 – an event already to be called ‘Summer Smash’.
Such an event would use the just opened courts, and dual purpose courts at Knights of Columbus Park in the city.
With the new courts Resler said they hope to build the future of the sport too.
“It gives us the opportunity for youth programming,” she said, adding that is important in terms of creating the next generation of pickleball player.