Ridgeway opens multi-sport facility, pickleball courts see immediate play

Pickleball players were on the courts as soon as Ridgeway’s new outdoor recreation facility opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, May 18, and that is the part amateur players will feel right away. The site does not just add another set of lines on pavement. It adds a public place to play, with courts and space for basketball, pickleball, street soccer and street hockey all built into the same footprint.

The property carries a long local history. It had been the home of Sadie Clark for 74 years before her children, Leon Clark and Phyllis Clark, removed the house and turned the land over to a new use. Mayor Craig O’Der said the project was built through collaboration between the Town of Ridgeway, Henry County and The Harvest Foundation, and county leaders framed the opening as part of a larger Ridgeway revitalization effort.

For pickleball specifically, the opening matters because it moves the sport from a planning line item to immediate play. Henry County Supervisor Travis Pruitt said the courts are meant to serve youth learning the game for the first time, seasoned players, families and neighbors who want to stay active outdoors. Henry County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jim Adams said the project reflects the will and determination of community members who wanted both revitalization and a quality sports park.

Harvest Foundation Program Officer Sandy Strayer said the facility is designed to support physical activity and social connection, which is exactly why these small-town builds can punch above their weight for amateur sports. A multi-sport layout gives Ridgeway more than a single-use pickleball stop. It creates a place where a casual player, a family and a regular open-play group can all fit into the same public space.

The access angle got even better with a practical add-on from the Ridgeway Branch of the Blue Ridge Regional Library. Librarian Amy Bunn said sports equipment, including pickleballs and paddles, will be available for checkout at the Ridgeway library, along with basketballs, soccer balls and other gear. That lowers the barrier for residents who want to try the game without buying equipment first.

Ridgeway also lands in a county that has already been expanding public pickleball access. Earlier Harvest Foundation PUP grants put $25,000 each into Henry County and Martinsville projects, including work at Jaycee Park, Martinsville High School and Spruce Street. Taken together, those efforts show a clear pattern: in Henry County, pickleball is no longer being treated as a niche add-on. It is becoming part of the public recreation map.