St. Joseph opens eight-court pickleball complex, doubling dedicated space

St. Joseph’s pickleball map is about to change in a hurry. The city will cut the ribbon at 2 p.m. Monday, May 18, on an eight-court complex at North 22nd Street between James and Douglas streets, and the courts will open for public play immediately afterward.

The new build turns a former tennis site into a purpose-built pickleball destination. The tennis courts on the property were removed several years ago, and the city has now filled that footprint with eight dedicated courts, two shade structures, picnic tables, a water fountain with a bottle-filling station and LED stadium lighting. The setup is designed for longer stays and busier daily traffic, not just a quick stop for a few games.

The project cost $796,000 and was funded through the city’s Capital Improvements Program and Parks Sales Tax. McConnell & Associates served as the contractor, making the complex a municipal investment rather than a private club or temporary pop-up. For local players, that matters because it adds a permanent place to play in a sport where court shortages are now part of the routine.

Jeff Atkins, the city’s parks director, said the expansion responds to the pace of growth. “Pickleball has just exploded here like in many other communities, and we can’t have enough courts for it,” Atkins said. That urgency is reflected in how St. Joseph manages access: all public pickleball courts in the city are first-come, first-served and cannot be reserved.

The new complex will immediately expand the city’s options, but it will not stand alone. St. Joseph already offers seven dedicated outdoor pickleball courts at Bode Sports Complex, plus up to six indoor courts at the St. Joseph REC Center. Marked pickleball play is also available at Hyde Park and the Northside Complex, giving the city a wider network for casual games, league play and overflow when demand spikes.

Even so, the opening underscores how far the sport has moved into the center of recreation planning. The city says the new complex doubles its inventory of dedicated pickleball space, a milestone backed by two tax streams that have shaped local parks spending for years. The Capital Improvements Program half-cent sales tax has been in place since 1989, and voters renewed it on Aug. 8, 2023. The parks half-cent sales tax, approved on Aug. 3, 2021, is expected to generate $50 million to $60 million over 10 years.

St. Joseph’s parks department says its work supports quality of life and the city’s economic base through tournaments, festivals, attractions and programs. With eight more lighted courts now ready to absorb the after-work rush, the city has made a clear bet that pickleball will keep drawing players, and keep needing more space.