Oakland’s New Tennis and Pickleball Courts
Not only does Oakland have one of the nicest natural surface Recreation complex and sports fields in the state, but we now have the BEST tennis and pickleball courts, too! If you are a tennis or pickleball player in Oakland, you, like the rest of us, have patiently waited for the courts to be resurfaced and reconstructed since August 1st. At the writing of this article, the courts are just about complete.
The courts did not get a small change; they have been completely overhauled. The five tennis courts remain while adding 4 new pickleball courts. Those who have played pickleball over the past 2 years were subjected to the temporary nets and make-shift divider. Although quite cumbersome and not fancy, these two courts allowed residents to enjoy this growing sport. Now, all 9 new courts also include new posts and nets. The latest upgrades feature a fence and separate entrance for the two different sports. These changes make it possible for tennis and pickleball games to be played without interruption or concerns that the wrong ball will end up on someone’s court.
The next big update were the colors. The old green and reds are out, and in are the modern green and blues. After consulting with as many tennis players as possible, Tennis Commissioner Bob Scalabrini decided to update the colors at the last minute. Bob sent color renderings to the borough engineers with designs on how the courts should look painted. The final result gives Oakland 5 tennis courts and 4 pickleball courts that pop with color on the complex's northwest corner.
Oakland Recreation proudly hosts several youth tennis programs and supports Oakland Team Tennis. When we first initiated pickleball as a trial, we were overwhelmed by the response and the number of people who played. Oakland’s new courts are an exciting addition, allowing residents to enjoy tennis and pickleball for many years. For more information or to obtain Tennis/Pickleball court badges, please visit www.OaklandRec.org.
Mike Guadagnino, Recreation Chair