CORRECTION: A previous version of this story stated that all City Park’s courts require a membership to play on the courts. Burlington residents and business owners are able to play on the open courts. Memberships are required for special perks for the courts. Elon News Network regrets this error.
Updated as of 4:34 p.m. on April 8 to include video
The rain couldn’t stop the eager pickleball community from celebrating the grand opening of the pickleball and tennis courts at Fairchild Park in Burlington. From city officials to seasoned and new players, the six new courts were packed with the sounds of the popular sport.
The six new courts at Fairchild Park opened April 3 with an event including refreshments, free pickleball keychains and paddle covers, and blue and green balloons to represent the colors of the city.
The courts at Fairchild Park are free to the public and players do not need a membership. The complex at Burlington City Park is announced to have a grand opening and ribbon cutting on May 9 with a soft opening at the end of April, according to the general manager of Burlington pickleball, Rachel Vinson, in a statement sent to Elon News Network. Burlington residents or business owners can use one of the open play courts that are available at Burlington City Park. If players would like special perks at City Park, such as the option to reserve courts seven days in advance, the use of a free ball machine and discounts on merchandise, they can purchase a monthly or annual membership. The cost of the memberships is a fee of $20 for single players per month and $35 for double players per month. For annual players, a single membership will cost $195, and a double membership will cost $275, according to Vinson.
Tony Laws, director of Recreation and Parks for the city of Burlington, said there are currently indoor courts at Fairchild Park but is excited for the public to have an outdoor option.
“Looking out here, we have younger people, middle aged people and older people,” Laws said. “So it's a game for anybody and everybody.”
Laws said since the six courts at Fairchild Park are smaller than the bigger complex at City Park, City Park will be busier.
“We’re also gonna have a little more stuff at that place, because we'll have people there to program, teach lessons, clinics, have league play, and lots of different things,” Laws said.
While the courts were wet because of rain earlier in the day, that didn’t stop players from waiting near the gates when the city of Burlington workers dried off the courts with leaf blowers.
Josh Stewart, avid pickleball player and the director of fun for the Burlington Sock Puppets, said he is lucky to work in the same facility as the new, free courts.
“I have it in my backyard, which means I'm not going to be getting a lot of work done these days,” Stewart said.
As a Burlington native, Stewart said he continues to see the city expand with more recreational activities for all.
“Pickleball is the new hot game to play, and the fact that we have it right here in our backyard is just another piece of evidence that Burlington is a place where you can come and have fun in so many different areas,” Stewart said. “So I'm excited to see how this aids in recreation and wellness here in the community.”
Elon University students even joined in the fun of the opening, such as sophomores Peter Gabriel and Peyton Fitzpatrick. They brought their roommates to play and were some of the first players to plant their feet on the court. Fitzpatrick said his roommates have had an impact on his pickleball adventures.
“They got me into it really. But, it's a fun sport. I'm the fourth best in our little apartment, so they drag me along,” Fitzpatrick said.
Gabriel is the head club manager of the pickleball club at Elon University. He said he’s excited to have more options to play on other than the pickleball courts at Elon.
“As some people may know, we have two courts on campus, and they're full a lot of the time,” Gabriel said. “So now that we have six more here, only about 15 minutes from campus, there's no wait time. So it's great.”
The grand opening attracted a big crowd, with several players lined up for the next round. Laws said he’s happy to see so many people enjoying the courts, even after the delay in the construction process.
“This construction project has gone on longer than we’ve liked — a little over a year,” Laws said. “People have been wanting these courts ever since last summer.”
Stewart said he’s glad to be a part of the pickleball community and how it brings so much joy to a large group of people.
“There are so many people — different walks of life. You got young people, you got older people,” Stewart said. “The diversity, the culture, it's really showing how pickleball and sports bring so many people together.”