Kind of a Big Dill: Irvine Unveils Eight New Pickleball Courts
Players try out the newly opened pickleball courts at Mike Ward Community Park. Photo credit City of Irvine
Irvine’s eight new lighted pickleball courts at Mike Ward Community Park in Woodbridge are officially open. Approximately 200 attendees celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, February 3. The event included remarks from City leaders and a chance for members of the local pickleball community to step onto the courts for the first time.
“As pickleball continues to grow in popularity, these courts will serve an important role in meeting demand for more space to play,” said Irvine Mayor Larry Agran. “Expanding pickleball access within our community is one more way we continue to enhance the quality of life in Irvine.”
The project includes more than just new playing surfaces. In addition to the eight courts, the City has installed four shade structures, picnic tables, benches, and hydration stations. Lighting improvements, upgrades to the park’s restrooms, and various landscape enhancements were also part of the effort. According to the City, the courts will be enclosed with a sound-dampening barrier to minimize noise impacts for surrounding neighborhoods.
Court access will include reservations, scheduled programming, and drop-in play. Two courts will be available for reservations (booking is expected to open in the coming weeks at yourirvine.org). When not reserved, those courts will be open for drop-in play. Two courts will be reserved for programming. The remaining four courts will be open for drop-in play.
The new courts add to Irvine’s existing inventory of 22 pickleball courts located in eight community and neighborhood parks. City officials say the additional courts are intended to meet growing demand for the Pickleball craze.
The project also aligns with Irvine’s broader investment in parks and recreation. For the past 10 years, Irvine’s park system has been ranked among the best in the nation based on factors including park access, acreage, investment, equity, and amenities.
More information about the new courts and pickleball opportunities in Irvine, check out cityofirvine.org/pickleball.