Leesburg breaks ground on first municipal pickleball courts near Freedom Park

Leesburg’s first municipal pickleball complex moved from wish list to work site with a ceremonial groundbreaking at Freedom Park, a sign that the town’s fastest-growing paddle sport is finally getting dedicated public infrastructure. The project will bring five outdoor courts to southeast Leesburg, giving the town a purpose-built place for casual games, pickup runs, and organized play instead of relying on crowded indoor space.

Town leaders gathered on April 8 at 10 a.m. at the project site to mark the start of construction, one day after a preconstruction community meeting at Ida Lee Park Recreation Center. The meeting, held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at 60 Ida Lee Drive NW, gave residents a chance to hear the plans and ask questions before work began. Town officials had said construction was expected to start in early spring 2026.

Mayor Kelly Burk, Council Member Zach Cummings, Parks & Recreation Commission Chairman Brody McCray, and Mayor for a Day Luca Hobel, a fifth grader from Ball’s Bluff Elementary School, took part in the groundbreaking. Instead of dirt, the ceremonial shovel toss used pickleballs, a fitting detail for a project that has become a long-requested fix for Leesburg’s indoor court crunch. Burk said residents had “filled our indoor spaces” and worked with Parks and Recreation staff to show what dedicated courts could mean for the town.

The Town Council approved the contract award to Fuog Interbuild Inc. on February 10, clearing the way for five courts at Freedom Park after the project was added to the Capital Improvements Program in fiscal year 2023. Town materials also call for a parking lot, walkways, landscaping, stormwater management, and a new electrical service, the kind of support work that turns a patch of parkland into a true destination for weekend group trips and repeat play.

A town bid summary said four courts would be lit immediately, with infrastructure in place for future lighting on the fifth court. That detail matters for a community where evening play can make the difference between an underused facility and a busy one. A March 21, 2025 site-clearing notice said about 20 trees were slated for removal along the eastern edge of Freedom Park as prep work began.

With construction expected to finish by fall 2026, Leesburg is no longer just talking about growing pickleball. It is building the town’s first municipal complex to match the demand already showing up indoors.