Community Pickleball Celebration

Community Pickleball Celebration
Posted on 06/16/2022
Please join the Mill Creek City Council and staff to celebrate our newly striped pickleball court at Highlands Park on Wednesday, June 22, at 6:00 p.m. This informal celebration follows a project that converted the city's existing tennis courts at Highlands and Heron Park into multi-use courts, including pickleball. 

The brief ceremony will include:
• Remarks from Mayor Pro Tem Stephanie Vignal
• An exhibition pickleball game between Councilmember Vince Cavaleri and State Senator John Lovick
• Comments from several local pickleball advocates

"The Mill Creek Council is excited to bring pickleball to the citizens of Mill Creek," said Councilmember Cavaleri. "When concerned citizens reached out to me eight months ago regarding the viability of pickleball in the city, our Parks & Recreation Board and the City Council immediately went to work on filling the void. However, these courts are simply the beginning, so please stay tuned, stay engaged, and of course, stay active." 

Pickleball is one of the nation's fastest-growing sports, inspiring Mill Creek resident Senator Lovick to make pickleball his freshman bill in the Senate. On March 28, 2022, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed legislation establishing pickleball as the official state sport of Washington. In addition to addressing community interest, these new courts are part of the city's ongoing efforts to provide quality amenities at city parks for all ages. The courts are free to the public and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

This project began in January, and the newly striped multi-use courts were ready to use in late May 2022. "The wet winter and spring caused several delays, said Scott Harder, Communications & Marketing Coordinator and pickleball project manager. “We are excited to have the courts open and available to all. These multi-use courts should satisfy pickleball players while not interrupting the demand for courts by tennis players.”

The City worked with local USA Pickleball ambassadors and other local cities to utilize best practices. The renovation included pressure washing the courts with hot water, installing new tennis nets, and striping the courts based on USAPA (USA Pickleball) guidelines. Also, the City worked with the Parks & Recreation Board to launch a short survey that seeks community input about City Parks, including questions about pickleball.

For more information about pickleball and classes, visit millcreekwa.gov/pickleball