Burnside opens new pickleball courts at Cole Park, players rush in

Burnside’s new pickleball courts at Cole Community Park were in use almost immediately after the ribbon was cut Saturday afternoon, turning a brief ceremony into a first day of play. A group of pickleball enthusiasts moved onto the blue-and-gray surface right away, giving the town an instant example of demand meeting new access.

The courts sit behind Burnside City Hall at 7929 S. U.S. 27, also listed as South Highway 27, in Burnside, Kentucky. That location matters because Cole Community Park is already one of the town’s main public spaces, and the new pickleball area adds another sport to a site that had long held tennis courts, a basketball court, a baseball field, a playground, picnic shelters, grills, horseshoes and event space.

Visit Burnside describes Cole Community Park as a place where neighbors gather, families play and events come to life, and the park’s calendar backs that up. Kentucky tourism listings say the site hosts events throughout the year, while Visit Burnside says the Summer Kickoff Concert has been held there each year on the first Saturday in June. Thunder Over Burnside also takes place at Cole Park as a free community event, with fireworks, live music and family activities. The Burnside Memorial Garden Committee has also used the park for a community egg hunt for children ages 0 to 12.

The pickleball opening had been building for months. An April 8, 2026 Commonwealth Journal story noted that pickleball was coming to Burnside and that the town was preparing for the new courts before Saturday’s unveiling. The quick transition from announcement to active play shows how fast the sport can reshape an existing public park when space is finally set aside for it.

For Burnside, the courts add another draw to a town that markets itself as the only town on Lake Cumberland. That identity has always leaned on outdoor recreation and small-town gatherings, and Cole Community Park already sits at the center of that pitch. With pickleball now part of the mix, Burnside has added a sport that can pull players off the sideline and onto the court the same day the gates open.