Town officials revive plans for pickleball courts

By Mike Berger

A previously shelved plan to build pickleball courts at Pequitside Farm could soon have new life thanks to a new push for the project led by Select Board Chair Mike Loughran and Town Administrator Charles Doody.

Originally proposed by the town’s Parks & Recreation Department in 2020 with vocal support from officials at the Canton Senior Center, the project quickly gained momentum and was approved for a Community Preservation Act (CPA) grant totaling $116,600 at that year’s town meeting. However, when the original bid came in well above that figure at $157,000, officials decided to put the project on hold and the appropriated funds were subsequently returned to the town treasury.

While the price tag has since grown considerably — between $600,000 and $650,000 based on the latest rough estimates — Loughran and Doody believe the interest is there and noted that funding could come from a variety of sources, including a possible town meeting appropriation, a second CPA grant, funding from one of the Select Board-controlled mitigation accounts, and even private donations.

Rather than build the courts at the site of the former tennis courts as previously proposed, Loughran said they are now looking at a site further inside Pequitside Farm (near the community gardens), which is big enough to fit six to eight courts and would minimize noise impacts to abutters.

Loughran said there are currently no plans to install lighting at the courts but noted that lights could always be added at a later time.

While the proposed site would need substantial preparation with fill and asphalt, Loughran said he is investigating whether Canton Holdings, developer of the Paul Revere Heritage Site, would be willing to donate some excess fill from their residential construction toward the pickleball project. They also intend to utilize the services of the town engineer’s office, which would lead to further cost savings, and Loughran is planning to inquire with Finance Director Randy Scollins about the availability of funding from Norfolk County’s allotment to Canton through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Interest in the sport of pickleball has surged both locally and nationally since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it remains the fastest-growing sport in the country based on the latest data from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA). Last year, a total of 13.6 million people played pickleball in the U.S., and more than 35 million Americans have played the sport in total over the past three years.

Often described as a combination of tennis, ping-pong and badminton, pickleball is a type of paddle sport that is known for its simple rules and low physical demands. Currently, the town has use of two tennis courts at CHS, which are transformed into four pickleball courts. Doody, who chaired the St. Gerard’s Reuse Committee, noted that many residents had asked whether courts could be installed at the former church property.

“We are very appreciative to School Superintendent Derek Folan, the School Department, and the Canton School Committee for letting us use the CHS courts, but it is not a permanent solution,” said Doody.

Loughran said he expects to have greater clarity on the costs for the Pequitside project within the next month or so, at which point he will bring it up to the full Select Board for its consideration.

Loughran said he already knows there is interest from fellow board members and he is optimistic that they will be able to see the project through. He said he shares the same vision as former Select Board Chair Tom Theodore, who was also committed to the project and wanted to be sure that it was “done right.”

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