Dedicated pickleball players don't wait for the dedication
Ephrata's new courts praised, more expansion planned.
Updated
Tate Sircin (left) watches partner Dennis Smithgall return a volley during pickleball play Friday morning on new courts at the Ephrata Sports Complex. Photos by Randy Bracht
EPHRATA — The players didn’t wait for the formal dedication.
Even before the ribbon-cutting ceremony got started, there was plenty of action underway Friday morning by paddle-wielding enthusiasts enjoying the City of Ephrata’s new pickleball courts.
“Fantastic, love it,” exclaimed Dale Schultz, who ventured from rural Adco to try them out.
“Beautiful courts. They’re great,” added his partner, Curtis Nelson of Quincy, who couldn’t resist a little Basin-rivalry smack talk, “but not as good as Quincy’s.”
Ephrata native Shelley Slininger didn’t bite. “The footing is really good. The ball bounces true," said Slininger. High praise from an avid player and someone who was among a group of local residents that initially approached city officials in early 2022 to request park space for the addition of community courts.
Their pitch: suitable for virtually all ages, pickleball is one of the fastest growing and most popular recreational sports in the nation. That should include Ephrata.
Top photo: players enjoyed beautiful fall weather while trying out the new courts. Bottom: Curtis Nelson of Quincy traveled to Ephrata to check out the facility, which has its rules posted for public use.
Chelan Kleyn of the Paul Lauzier Charitable Foundation credited city officials for not only constructing the six new courts, but thoughtfully expanding the project’s scope to develop a facility intended to serve a wide range of community interests.
The Lauzier Foundation has committed to providing $400,000 over four years toward the project. Kleyn joined with Ephrata mayor Steve Oliver in snipping the ceremonial ribbon at the Ephrata Sports Complex.
“What you see here today is not the finished product, though. This is the first phase of a much-bigger vision for this facility,” said Oliver, reading from a prepared statement.
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Ephrata mayor Steve Oliver and Chelan Kleyn of the Paul Lauzier Foundation snip the ceremonial ribbon dedicating the new courts.
Future expansion plans include adding an adjacent basketball/futsal court by next year and an open-air cover over the entire facility by 2028, said the mayor. With the cover in place and the pickleball equipment removable, the space can also be utilized for community events, markets, tournaments, and other activities throughout the year that serve both local residents and visitors, said Oliver.
“So, while we’re extremely excited about the six courts we’re opening today, we’re just as excited about where this project is headed,” he said.
Other city officials attending the ceremony included administrator Ray Towry, city engineer Shawn O’Brien, finance director Kristen McDonnell, parks/recreation director Josh Johnson and recreation supervisor Gunnar Blankenship.
Towry and Johnson have said the city is hopeful it will receive state grant funding to help pay for the open-air cover. Johnson said other amenities planned for the $600,000 project will include lighting and a sound system.
“We want to thank the Paul Lauzier Foundation for their generous support and for believing in this project from the very beginning,” Oliver said in his message. “Their support helped make it possible for us to create a brand-new recreation amenity for our community, while also laying the groundwork for what this facility can become in the future.”
He also commended the city’s park and recreation, engineering, and public works staff for their efforts. Contractors on the project included Tommer Construction Co. of Ephrata, which completed the concrete base and adjacent asphalt parking lot, and Pickleball Court LLC for preparing and painting the court surfaces.
Separately, other recent improvements included adding new playground equipment at Lions Park earlier this year, with plans for new additions at Lee and Patrick parks.
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Dedicated pickleball players don't wait for the dedication
Ephrata's new courts praised, more expansion planned.
EPHRATA — The players didn’t wait for the formal dedication.
Even before the ribbon-cutting ceremony got started, there was plenty of action underway Friday morning by paddle-wielding enthusiasts enjoying the City of Ephrata’s new pickleball courts.
“Fantastic, love it,” exclaimed Dale Schultz, who ventured from rural Adco to try them out.
“Beautiful courts. They’re great,” added his partner, Curtis Nelson of Quincy, who couldn’t resist a little Basin-rivalry smack talk, “but not as good as Quincy’s.”
Ephrata native Shelley Slininger didn’t bite. “The footing is really good. The ball bounces true," said Slininger. High praise from an avid player and someone who was among a group of local residents that initially approached city officials in early 2022 to request park space for the addition of community courts.
Their pitch: suitable for virtually all ages, pickleball is one of the fastest growing and most popular recreational sports in the nation. That should include Ephrata.
Chelan Kleyn of the Paul Lauzier Charitable Foundation credited city officials for not only constructing the six new courts, but thoughtfully expanding the project’s scope to develop a facility intended to serve a wide range of community interests.
The Lauzier Foundation has committed to providing $400,000 over four years toward the project. Kleyn joined with Ephrata mayor Steve Oliver in snipping the ceremonial ribbon at the Ephrata Sports Complex.
“What you see here today is not the finished product, though. This is the first phase of a much-bigger vision for this facility,” said Oliver, reading from a prepared statement.
Ephrata mayor Steve Oliver and Chelan Kleyn of the Paul Lauzier Foundation snip the ceremonial ribbon dedicating the new courts.
Future expansion plans include adding an adjacent basketball/futsal court by next year and an open-air cover over the entire facility by 2028, said the mayor. With the cover in place and the pickleball equipment removable, the space can also be utilized for community events, markets, tournaments, and other activities throughout the year that serve both local residents and visitors, said Oliver.
“So, while we’re extremely excited about the six courts we’re opening today, we’re just as excited about where this project is headed,” he said.
Other city officials attending the ceremony included administrator Ray Towry, city engineer Shawn O’Brien, finance director Kristen McDonnell, parks/recreation director Josh Johnson and recreation supervisor Gunnar Blankenship.
Towry and Johnson have said the city is hopeful it will receive state grant funding to help pay for the open-air cover. Johnson said other amenities planned for the $600,000 project will include lighting and a sound system.
“We want to thank the Paul Lauzier Foundation for their generous support and for believing in this project from the very beginning,” Oliver said in his message. “Their support helped make it possible for us to create a brand-new recreation amenity for our community, while also laying the groundwork for what this facility can become in the future.”
He also commended the city’s park and recreation, engineering, and public works staff for their efforts. Contractors on the project included Tommer Construction Co. of Ephrata, which completed the concrete base and adjacent asphalt parking lot, and Pickleball Court LLC for preparing and painting the court surfaces.
Separately, other recent improvements included adding new playground equipment at Lions Park earlier this year, with plans for new additions at Lee and Patrick parks.