ANTIGO — At a meeting last week, the Antigo School Board unanimously approved a proposal to turn the tennis courts at the Jaycee Park just south of 10th Avenue into pickleball courts.
The proposal, brought to the board by the Langlade County Pickleball Club after roughly a year of planning, will convert the six tennis courts that currently make up the park into 12 pickleball courts.
Langlade County Pickleball Club Secretary Cody Fuller said the change makes sense for a number of reasons.
“We’re doing 12 courts because we know that pickleball in the area is continuing to grow. In the last two years, the amount of people that have started showing up and coming to pickleball has tripled,” Fuller said. “After it’s done, the school will continue to own the courts.”
“It’s in a location where the middle school will be able to use them for their gym activities and curriculum. Also, they’re currently not able to be used. Another aspect is, some of the fencing and other items like the parking and infrastructure are already there, so from a budgetary standpoint, it makes sense as well.”
Some fencing and overgrown branches near the court have already been taken down at the park to begin the project, which is projected to cost between $239,000 and $343,000, depending on whether the club decides to include components like new fencing and asphalt sealing in the work.
Over half of the required funds for the more basic project have been donated, including $25,000 from the Remington Foundation, $7,500 from CoVantage, and $135,000 from members themselves, including labor costs donated by Shane Krueger, the club’s president and the owner of Krueger and Steinfest.
“Shane’s going to do a lot of the work,” Fuller said. “So we have a significant amount on there that’s donated materials or labor.”
Krueger said he has been such a strong supporter of pickleball in the city because of its social and health benefits.
“I feel it’s a good way for people to get out and meet other people. I think it’s excellent physically and mentally for their well-being,” Krueger said. “Myself, I’m in a piece of equipment all day — I really don’t get to move too much. So it’s kind of nice to go run around and get some movement at the end of the day. You’re exercising, but having fun and don’t realize that you’re getting as much exercise as you are.”
The majority of the costs involve removing existing blacktop for the site and installing asphalt pavement over an approximately 4,065 square yard area.
The club, which works in concert with the Antigo Pickleball Club, plans to host large pickleball tournaments at the site, which they estimated could bring in upwards of 1,000 people to the city.
In a letter to Remington Foundation in support of the idea, Executive Director of the Langlade County Economic Development Corporation Angie Close too suggested the new pickleball park could spur the local economy.
“The facility’s potential to host tournaments, camps, and community events opens up opportunities for attracting participants and spectators from both our local community and neighboring areas,” it read. “This influx of visitors is expected to contribute significantly to the local economy through spending on accommodations, dining, and other services.”
Those interested in donating for the new pickleball courts at the Jaycee Park can do so at a Go Fund Me account the club has organized gofund.me/e1e5b9e1 or contact Fuller directly at 715-610-6445 for more information.
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