LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — So you've heard of this thing called pickleball, right?
Yes, it's a little bit like tennis, ping pong and badminton, but it's its own thing. It became popular during the pandemic as a way to get outside, be active, and socially distanced at the same time. Well, it has stuck. It has stuck so much, more people are playing, and the City of Lexington is working to meet the demand.
Right now, the city has two parks with dedicated pickleball courts. Thanks to construction projects, there will soon be 13 parks with these courts.
Constitution, Meadowbrook, Picadome, River Hill, Shillito, and Cardinal Run Park North will all have dedicated courts. The city also has double-striped courts, which allow for pickleball and tennis to be played on the same court.
"It's something sometimes the demand moves a lot faster than we're able to move," said Paul Hooper with Lexington Parks and Recreation. "Frankly I think it's one of those things we're always trying to meet the needs of the public and you know whatever's popular at the time, whatever is growing, whatever is waning."
There are currently pickleball courts at Idlehour, Kirklevington, Landsdowne-Merrick, Meadowthorpe, and Southland. There are also opportunities to play pickleball at indoor courts, such as the YMCA.There is also a full venue called Pickleball Paddock that is in the works down the road in Lexington.
