Southington senior center opens new outdoor pickleball court

Southington added one more place to play pickleball, and for Calendar House members it is now open. The town’s senior center marked the debut of its new outdoor court on May 8 with a ribbon cutting, refreshments and the first matches on the new surface, turning a small facility upgrade into a visible expansion of playable space in town.

The court was funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act, part of a $99,700 package tied to improvements at Calendar House. Town officials first described the project in 2024 as a broader effort to add recreational options and modernize the building, not just install a single court. Along with the pickleball space, the package included a retractable awning for the outdoor patio, an outdoor garage or shed for extra storage, a new rowing machine for the exercise room and automatic restroom door openers.

State Rep. Christopher Poulos and state Sen. Rob Sampson were among the officials on hand for the opening. Sampson also took part in some of the first games after the ribbon cutting, underscoring the court’s immediate use rather than a ceremonial one. For a town where public pickleball options can be limited, the value of a court like this is in access: it gives older adults a predictable place to play, keeps the sport close to home and adds another stop in Southington’s recreational map.

The town says the court is open to Calendar House members during regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., weather permitting. Players must bring their own equipment, check in at the front desk before play and follow the posted rules. Benches are being ordered for people waiting their turn, a small but practical detail that signals the court is meant for regular use, not just a ribbon-cutting photo.

Calendar House itself has deep roots in Southington. The center was organized in 1969 under the town’s Senior Citizen Commission and is located at 388 Pleasant Street. The town describes it as a multipurpose municipal facility for adults 55 and over, with social, physical and intellectual programming. That makes the new court more than a recreational add-on: it is part of the center’s wellness mission, giving pickleball a permanent place inside senior services and giving more local players a court they can actually use.