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   Pickleball came to Longville 10 years ago.  A tight knit group of 20 adventuresome, fun-loving residents picked up paddles and became part of a fast-growing sport that since has exploded.

   The first who took to the sport opened their pocketbooks and donated money to expand the width of the planned basketball court to make three courts in Stuart Memorial Park. Over the course of the next six years, membership grew modestly from 20 to 50. During the Covid period, membership grew 40%, creating a need for more courts.

Longville Pickleball Club members play on newly constructed and resurfaced courts located in Stuart Memorial Park.

   Concurrently, the Longville hockey association planned an improvement to its rink by laying asphalt.  The pickleball group worked with the association to paint the surface and lines for four courts on the paved rink. To provide a sand-free entrance to the rink, several members built a sidewalk between the pavilion and the hockey rink using many of the memorial bricks originally in place in front of the former Information Center on Main Street.

   Interest in pickleball has mushroomed here in Longville mirroring the trend worldwide. Membership grew another 40% between 2020 and 2024, creating a need for additional courts to accommodate nearly 150 members. Local benefactors stepped forward funding the majority of the new construction for three additional courts located adjacent to the original basketball/pickleball court giving the community six courts. Members donated to purchase a storage shed near the new courts and a concrete pad for the gathering area.

   In addition to scheduled club court time, the courts are available for the public to play. During many of the summer weekends, all four courts in the hockey rink have been used in the afternoons with more vacationers waiting to play.

   The new courts and those on the basketball court area are reserved for club member play Sundays 1-3, and Monday through Saturday 9-12 noon.  The public may play during the non-club times on the six west courts, or anytime in the hockey rink. Nets are provided but players must supply their own pickleballs and paddles.

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