(WWJ) The city of Sterling Heights has announced plans to build a sprawling, state-of-the-art pickleball complex.
Thanks to a millage approved by voters, $10 million will be used to transform a property in Sterling Heights into Michigan's second indoor pickleball facility at 37,000 square feet.
The location — 35630 Van Dyke Avenue, near 15 Mile Rd.
Sterling Heights Parks and Recreation director Kyle Langlow says the planned facility will feature nine pickle ball courts, table tennis courts, gathering areas, a party room, and much more.
"Seeing how pickleball continues to grow, it's made the most sense to expand our capacity even further to serve the needs and the growing demand of pickle ball in our residents," Langlow said, in an interview with WWJ Newsradio 950's Darrylin Horne,
Growing in popularity in recent years, pickleball is a paddle sport that combines elements of badminton and tennis, played on a smaller-sized court. Players use solid paddles to hit a perforated plastic ball over the net that's slightly lower than the net used for standard tennis. Pickleball is known for being easy to learn, accessible to all ages and skill levels, and is said to be one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S.
"We have many recreation centers and community centers around the state that are no different than what we were doing at our community center here, where it's pickleball, you know, for a couple hours, then basketball, then volleyball," Langlow said. "To have a truly dedicated facility is something that's almost unhear of across the state."
For those with comments or questions about the project, the city will host a community listening and feedback session on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 4:30 p.m. at the Sterling Heights Community Center.
The new pickleball facility is expected to be completed by next summer.