Montville Township to open new Metro Tract pickleball courts May 13

Montville Township will cut the ribbon on its new Metro Tract pickleball courts at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 13, at 179 Changebridge Road, with the courts set to become the town’s newest public play option as soon as the opening wraps. The township said additional information on court access, rules and procedures will be posted soon on its recreation page.

The opening matters because it is not just a ceremonial add-on to the calendar. Montville is bringing six pickleball courts into a municipal setting at the Metro Tract, giving local players another dedicated place to play without relying on private clubs or improvised lines on shared pavement. For amateur pickleball, that is the difference between hoping for court time and having a real home base for drop-ins, leagues, beginner sessions and organized play.

The courts did not appear overnight. Montville Recreation Commission minutes from January 8, 2025, said the township had $550,000 in capital along with a $71,000 local recreation improvement grant for six pickleball courts. Those same minutes said Christopher Statile, P.A. had been secured for design and construction support services tied to recreational improvements, including pickleball courts at the Metro Tract property.

By April 8, 2025, the project had advanced to the bidding stage. Township Resolution No. 2025-170 authorized Montville to go out to bid for recreation improvements at the Metro Tract property, which the township identified as land to be used for recreational activities including a walking trail and pickleball courts. Later, Resolution No. 2025-253 authorized the award of the pickleball courts contract to Green Valley Group, Inc., confirming the project had moved from planning to construction to completion.

The Metro Tract opening fits a larger statewide pattern in New Jersey, where towns keep turning grant money into permanent recreation assets. The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs said its 2024 Local Recreation Improvement Grants provided $25 million to 372 local governments for parks and recreation facilities. In Montville, that funding stream helped push the project from paperwork to playable courts, adding another public stop to Morris County’s growing pickleball map.