Bergen County Brings Pickleball to Overpeck County Park

(Ridgefield Park) – This summer, Bergen County Parks will be home to one of the fastest growing sports in America: Pickleball. Responding to increased demand from residents, the County is repurposing 3 existing tennis courts and creating 6 new courts, exclusively designated for Pickleball play, in the Ridgefield Park section of Overpeck County Park. The County’s team of landscape architects worked with both Pickleball advocates and industry experts to bring this dynamic new recreational feature to the Bergen County Parks system.

The new courts, scheduled to open on or before June 1, 2018, have been designed to meet USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) guidelines and will feature the latest in sports surfacing technology. Rather than traditional “poured-in-place” court surfacing, the County Parks Department is using modular sport tile, an innovative, high-quality surface that produces excellent traction for safer play. Should demand continue to grow, the modular sport tile surface can be efficiently installed in new locations to establish additional establish dedicated pickleball courts.

“We appreciate the opportunity to introduce pickleball in Overpeck County Park,” said Bergen County Parks Director Jim Koth. “This innovative new court surface provides for safer play, as it dramatically reduces the impact of lunging and jumping on players’ bodies, lessening the risk of injury.”

“As pickleball has become more popular with our residents, especially our senior community, it is important for players to have a dedicated and safe environment to enjoy the sport,” said Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco. “We are always striving for ways to support the health and wellness needs of our residents throughout more than 9,000 acres of county parks.”

“As part of the Parks Committee, I take great pride in the thought, research and effort that has gone into this project,” said Freeholder Steve Tanelli. “We heard the public’s voice and responded accordingly. We are very excited and look forward to the first match play on the new Pickleball courts.”