Deming adds new pickleball courts at E.J. Hooten Park, construction begins April 22

Deming started building new pickleball courts at E.J. Hooten Park on April 22, putting a roughly two-month construction window around one of the city’s most visible recreation projects. The courts are part of a push to expand recreation opportunities at the park on 300 North Country Club Road and give residents and visitors another place to stay active.

The city said the project is meant to support healthy, active lifestyles and create a welcoming space for people of all ages to gather, exercise and connect. That framing fits the way pickleball has moved into the mainstream in smaller cities: not as a specialty add-on, but as something public parks now plan for the same way they plan for basketball, walking paths and playgrounds.

The tradeoff is temporary disruption. City officials warned that portions of E.J. Hooten Park may be closed or only partially accessible while crews work, and they asked residents to watch for posted signage, stay out of restricted areas and use caution around the work zone. Parents and guardians were also told to supervise children closely during construction, a practical reminder that the park is still expected to function as a family space even while it is under renovation.

That matters because Hooten Park already operates as a full recreation hub. The park includes a concession stand, restrooms, a shaded area, lighting, a playground, a dog park, a basketball court, a volleyball court and a walking track, so the new pickleball courts are being added into an established public complex rather than built in isolation. For local players, that usually means better access, more foot traffic and more chances for the courts to become part of the daily routine instead of a once-in-a-while destination.

Deming is making the move at a time when the sport’s growth is hard to miss. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association said 24.3 million Americans played pickleball in 2025, up from about 4.2 million in 2020. USA Pickleball said its court-location database added more than 2,300 new locations in 2025, bringing the total to 18,258 places to play nationwide, while the known-court count reached 82,613. With membership at 104,828 and 144 sanctioned tournaments in 2025, the game has clearly outgrown the “fad” label, and Deming’s new courts are another sign that cities are building for the second wave, not the first.