Pickleball Lessons In Wakefield Start Next Month

WAKEFIELD, MA — The Wakefield Recreation Department will host a series of pickleball lessons beginning next month at the Americal Civic Center in town.

On Monday and Wednesday mornings beginning on Sept. 26, those interested in learning the sport of pickleball will have the option to do so, participating in lessons that run from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Participants should register ahead of time using the link here.

The department is offering four sessions to choose from, with options for “beginner” and “advanced beginner” classes. While some of the sessions have filled up, seats in other sessions were still available as of Tuesday morning.

Registration is $64 for both residents and non-residents. The Civic Center is located at 467 Main Street in Wakefield.

Rapidly growing, pickleball combines elements of tennis and badminton as players bat a ball back and forth over a net with what are often wooden paddles.

Though these upcoming lessons are taking place at the Civic Center, Wakefield is also celebrating the recent opening of its new MacKenna Courts at Veterans Field.

The courts opened to the public earlier this month after a major restoration process on the former MacKenna tennis courts in the same location. While the new courts will accommodate tennis and pickleball, Town Administrator Stephen Maio said earlier this month that they are geared toward pickleball.

Initially funded at Town Meeting, the project received additional state grant support. Outside of pickleball, the project has involved a series of stormwater runoff elements aimed at mitigating runoff into the nearby Lake Quannapowitt. There are, additionally, new accessibility upgrades that double as efforts to limit future erosion, according to the town.

The town has ordered tennis nets to be installed on the courts. Those are coming soon, according to town officials. In the meantime, pickleball players can bring their own nets or reserve them through the online PlayLocal system. PlayLocal also allows court users to reserve court time. Reservations are free for Wakefield residents and cost $20 for non-residents.

While a reservation isn't necessary to use the courts, priority will be given to people with a reservation.

Anyone with questions about courts, court rentals or registering for lessons can contact the Recreation Department at (781) 246-6389.