Linda Kern, Senior Center Director, and Steve Black, Park Department Director, reveal the commemorative plaques at the pickleball courts in Jackson Park Friday. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)

VIENNA — The City of Vienna dedicated the new pickleball courts at Jackson Park Friday.

“We want to thank the community for showing us as a city what is important to you. Pickleball is a big deal to a lot of people. It’s great for health, it’s great for socialization,” Vienna Recorder Melissa Elam said.

Steve Black, Park Department Director, shared how the courts project started. He and Linda Kern, Vienna Senior Center Director, were vacationing in Hilton Head, S.C., a few years ago when they came across a pickleball court complex called Palmetto Dunes.

“We were greeted by a large banner that said ‘Pickleball: the largest growing sport in America.’ I did some searching on the internet. There was nowhere in Vienna that had pickleball courts.”

Black talked to Bob Boone with the McDonough Foundation, who said he would talk to Vienna City Council about the courts.

Various community members cut the ribbon at the pickleball court dedication at Jackson Park Friday. Front from left are Ultimate Holidays Ambassador Madelynn Buskirk, Vienna Recorder Melissa Elam, Vienna Senior Center Director Linda Kern, Park Department Director Steve Black, Chamber of Commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley Director Jill Parsons. and Holidays Forever King Lucas Buskirk. Back from left are Tim Offutt, Dr. Tony Goudy and Councilman Tom Azinger. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)

“The Spartan Foundation and Tri-State Roofing and Sheet Metal offered a matching challenge grant to the City of Vienna during January 2021. The mayor, recorder, and council members unanimously voted to accept the grant and match the funds proposed,” he said.

Black said the challenge from the Spartan Foundation was worth $75,000 and the city matched the grant, which totaled $150,000.

The courts were completed in May 2021. Black said the dedication ceremony was delayed because the courts needed more work, such as adequate lighting.

Several local donors such as Jan Dils and Charles Hughes, Dr. Tony Goudy, Horner and Harrison, Dr. Anna Hughes, the McDonough Foundation, Tim Offutt, Brandon and Natalie Offutt, and Warner Kia funded that project.

During Friday’s ceremony, Black and Kern revealed two plaques that commemorated all of the donors to the project. Black said the plaques took six to eight months to make.

City of Vienna Park Department Director Steve Black speaks at the pickleball courts dedication ceremony at Jackson Park Friday. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)

“I cannot tell you how much I thank all of you. Because really it was your motivation and us accidentally going to Hilton Head and seeing how popular and how fun this sport is,” Kern said.

Goudy, Mid Ohio Valley Pickleball Club member, said the pickleball courts have had a positive impact on him and other players.

“I can’t overstate the impact these courts have had on us as pickleball players, as friends, as members of the community,” he said. “We have sometimes 30 or 40 people playing every night.”

Goudy credited Black for the completion of the courts. He said a couple players from out of town were playing there over the weekend. They asked Goudy how they got these courts completed. Goudy told them he could call Black on the phone. The players were amazed how accessible Black was to his community.

“He said, ‘I wish I had a Steve Black.’ I said, ‘You’re not getting ours,'” Goudy said.

Goudy and Offutt, another club member, presented Black with a plaque to show their appreciation. Black said he would hang it in his office.

Kristen Hainkel can be reached at khainkel@newsandsentinel.com