Groton ― Pickleball courts will be built this summer on land between the Thrive 55+ Active Living Center and the Groton Public Library on Newtown Road.
The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the site plan on Tuesday for six pickleball courts in the lawn area near the existing roller hockey rink and the youth multi-use field.
The project comes as interest in pickleball has exceeded the town’s capacity, and the town currently doesn’t have any dedicated public outdoor courts, said Parks and Recreation Director Mark Berry.
There are two shared-use courts at Farquhar Park and also shared-use courts at Robert E. Fitch High School, but the high school’s courts are not available when school is in session, he said. There are three indoor courts painted on a basketball court at the Community Center which is used for various activities.
Chad Frost, landscape architect and principal with Kent + Frost Landscape Architecture of Mystic, told the commission that the plan for the pickleball courts, covering 205 feet by 64 feet, also calls for a pedestrian plaza between the courts and the hockey rink, with trees, benches and a pavilion.
Three 50-foot-high light poles will illuminate the court and rink only when in use from dusk to 10 p.m.
An 8-foot-wide stone-dust walking path will be installed around the expanded multi-purpose field and behind the library. The path will connect to the sidewalk along Newtown Road.
The overall 10.75-acre site on Newtown Road is home to recreational space, the Thrive 55+ Active Living Center, the Groton Public Library, veterans memorial, and the future USS Groton Sail Monument.
Frost said the pickleball courts project also includes features such as a bike rack, accessible restroom, and two storage containers to replace an existing small shed.
Two accessible parking spaces will be added to the site. Sidewalks will be extended and two crosswalks will be added for pedestrian safety, according to a town staff summary.
The site currently has 238 parking spaces. Frost said the parking lot is fairly empty most of the time, except during large events. The parking won’t be expanded at this time, but space has been identified for up to 19 more parking spaces that could be added in the future if needed.
Berry said the courts are projected to be built by mid-July, though the lights may be installed later, depending on their delivery.
Berry said the $129,000 project was funded through a variety of sources, including the town’s capital improvement program funds, American Rescue Plan Act funds, and fundraising.
Berry said the town also is in the middle of renovating the hockey rink.
k.drelich@theday.com
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