Ventnor pickleball courts vandalized, police seek tips on damage

Vandalism hit Ventnor’s newly refurbished pickleball courts hard: rocks were thrown onto the playing surfaces, and damage was also reported in the public bathrooms at the Atlantic Avenue Recreation Complex.

The Ventnor City Police Department asked residents to send in video footage and tips as officers tried to identify who was responsible. That matters because this was not a paint-scrape or a broken fence post at a forgotten park corner. It was damage to a freshly improved public recreation site built for broad use, from casual players and families to regular court users counting on open space in a sport where court time is still hard to come by.

The pickleball courts sit at 5600 Atlantic Ave. in Ventnor, New Jersey, inside a larger complex that includes five tennis courts, six pickleball courts, a full basketball court, six volleyball courts, two tennis walls, a handicap-accessible playground and full bathrooms. City listings say the courts are open year-round, with fees charged on weekends starting Memorial Day weekend and full-week fees beginning in mid-June through Labor Day. Any repairs or cleanup now could cut into the busiest stretch of the season.

The damage landed especially awkwardly because Ventnor has also been pushing a larger reconstruction project for the pickleball and tennis courts. The city said the scope includes removal and replacement of the asphalt surface, a new color surface, new nets and posts, replacement of chain-link fencing and the addition of a new pavilion and shaded area. Earlier project updates also called for milling and paving, fence replacement and modifications, interior courtyard improvements and new benches, shade, trash and recycling receptacles.

A bid notice described the work as covering about 5,586 square yards of existing courts, along with drainage improvements and other site work. One local report put the rebuild at roughly $1.2 million, underscoring how expensive it is to create court access and how quickly vandalism can threaten that investment.

The project was expected to be completed for the summer 2026 season, making the timing of the vandalism even more damaging. For amateur pickleball players, the lesson is plain: building courts is only half the battle. Keeping them playable, safe and open is what turns a new facility into real access.