The new pickleball courts at Jackson Park in Vienna are the best around, Mayor Randy Rapp said. From left are players Jody Phillips, Sheila Herrick, Connie Sands, Leta McCarty and Judy Tennant. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

VIENNA — Proclaiming the finest pickleball courts in the region, the mayor of Vienna Wednesday accepted a major contribution for the project.

The city received $105,000 from the nonprofit Spartan Foundation and Tri-State Roofing and Sheet Metal for the courts located at Jackson Park near the swimming pool.

Complementing adjacent courts, the new pickleball playing surfaces were built by Vasco Sports Construction. Total project cost was about $128,000, not including another $20,000 for lighting, said Steve Black, municipal parks director.

Vasco has also worked at West Virginia University, Michigan and Ohio State.

Also planned is a new piece of playground equipment, called a beehive, a geometric structure on which kids aged 5-12 can climb, Black said.

From the left, Steve Black, parks and recreation director for the City of Vienna; Aaron Tice representing Tri-State Roofing and Sheet Metal; and Vienna Mayor Randy Rapp are shown at the check presentation for the new pickleball courts at Jackson Park. The Spartan Foundation and Tri-State contributed $105,000 to the project. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

“You can just about get 25 kids on it,” he said.

Built on a former parking lot, the new pickleball courts opened a week ago, Mayor Randy Rapp said.

Pickleball is a combination of tennis, ping pong and badminton on a court about the size of a badminton court with a paddle and plastic ball with holes, similar to a wiffle ball.

Two of six the adjacent tennis courts two years ago were turned into four pickleball courts, but the interest quickly increased. Pickleball has become the No. 1 sport of people over 50 in the United States, the city said.

Pickleballers are on the courts all hours of the day, according to Rapp.

From left, Jody Phillips, Leta McCarty, Connie Sands, Sheila Herrick and Judy Tennant pose at the net on the new pickleball courts in Jackson Park in Vienna. The group likes the new courts. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

Vienna has the best pickleball courts in the region, he said.

“Without a doubt,” Rapp said.

Agreeing with the mayor are pickleball players Judy Tennant, Leta McCarty, Jody Phillips, Connie Sands and Sheila Herrick. The group, which frequently meets to play the game, uses terms such as beautiful and fantastic to describe the new courts.

“We are thrilled with them,” Tennant said.

Rapp was appreciative of the donation and the commitment and confidence the Spartan Foundation and Tri-State have with the city and providing recreational opportunities for kids and residents.

“We’re proud to be able to do it,” said Aaron L. Tice, representing Tri-State.

Jess Mancini can be contacted at jmancini@newsandsentinel.com.