More Western Springs Pickleball Courts Expected

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – The growing popularity of pickleball includes Western Springs.

Four pickleball courts have been at Northeast Park for much of the last decade. But park officials say they can't handle the increasing local demand.

So residents have undertaken a fundraising campaign to pay for more courts.

As of Monday, $522,000 has been raised for eight pickleball courts at Spring Rock Park, according to the Western Springs Park District. The project is expected to cost $625,000.

During Monday's Village Board meeting, resident and pickleball enthusiast Arda Kutlu said Spring Rock was considered a good location because it is near the expressway and railroad and "significantly far enough" away from houses.

"You might know that pickleball has a certain kind of noise aspect to it," said Kutlu, a member of the local Friends of the Parks board.

Jim Cirrincione, president of the local park district board, said parking and two bike racks would be added to Spring Rock.

"As with a lot of other parks in the neighborhood, when they get busy, the parking flows out into the neighborhood. That's just what happens," he said.

Village President Heidi Rudolph, who lives two houses away from the park, said she was "personally a little worried" about the parking and noise, given that she is so close.

At the same time, she said the project would be "terrific."

"It's a great park. It's a significant asset to the community," Rudolph said. "We want it to continue to be used. I appreciate all the different uses we have there. I think parking will be just something we always have to contend with."

The park district is ready to go out to bid and finish the project by June, Cirrincione said.

The park board needs zoning approval from the Village Board, which is set to vote on the issue in two weeks.

No one on the board objected to the courts Monday.