If there’s one thing Harrisonburg Parks & Recreation knows, it’s that The Friendly City loves pickleball. And soon, the community will have even more opportunities to play one of the fastest growing sports in America.
Harrisonburg Parks & Rec has begun work to transition one of the existing tennis courts at Purcell Park into two pickleball courts.
The move will give the city six pickleball courts – two at Purcell Park and four at Morrison Park – while keeping seven city-owned tennis courts – three at Purcell Park and four at Eastover Park.
The shift in courts will provide more space for the growing pickleball community in Harrisonburg while ensuring tennis advocates still have plenty of opportunity to play.
“We’ve been ecstatic about how busy our pickleball courts have been at Morrison Park, and to see that amenity thrive while giving people a new way to get outdoors and be healthy,” Harrisonburg Parks & Rec Director Brian Mancini said. “We are always looking at ways to provide new and exciting opportunities for play at our parks, and we look forward to seeing these new courts at Purcell Park give community members in that area a new amenity within walking distance.”
Additional tennis courts at Ralph Sampson Park were converted into futsal courts by Harrisonburg Parks & Rec in 2022, transitioning an amenity that was seldom used into one of the most popular play areas in the community.
Since opening the city’s first courts in 2020, new life has been breathed into Morrison Park. Approximately 100 people each day – and often much more – come to Morrison Park to play pickleball in groups of singles or doubles.
Work on the new courts will take place over the coming weeks in hopes of opening this amenity as soon as possible.
More information will be posted at www.facebook.com/harrisonburgparksandrecreation when available.
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Crystal Graham
