Kenton County Parks & Recreation recently completed a yearlong effort to create the first county-owned pickleball courts at Richardson Road Park in Independence.
“Pickleball’s popularity has exploded, and our park users have been calling on us to create more ways for them to play in Kenton County,” said Rhonda Ritzi, recreation program coordinator. “Since our courts opened, we’ve been pleased to see how frequently used they are.”
To complete the project, Kenton County contracted Tennis Technology Inc. for the demolition, design and reconstruction project, which began in September 2022.
The project included:
- Six new pickleball courts
- Basketball and tennis court renovations
- New handicap-accessible access road.
County officials decided to undertake the project based on the sport's growing popularity, which now ranks as the nation’s fastest-growing sport.
Pickleball’s origins go back to 1965 when it was invented by three dads in Bainbridge, Washington. They wanted to entertain their kids, so they took to a badminton court, grabbed some ping pong paddles and a plastic ball, and designed a game for the family to play together. The sport blends badminton, tennis, and ping pong elements, offering enjoyable recreation for competitive and casual players.
“Investing in Kenton County’s park system is an important element in making Kenton County the best place to live and raise a family in Kentucky,” Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann said. “Our team members in the parks department work hard to ensure our system matches the needs of our residents, and adding the county’s first pickleball facility is a step in that direction.”
The park improvement project wrapped up in September when the Kenton County Public Works team completed a new access road to the site.
The project cost a total of $493,528.
Stay tuned to the Kenton County Parks & Recreation Facebook and website pages for updates on programs, events, and all things parks in Kenton County.