On Wednesday, April 24, the city of Pomona opened a brand-new pickleball court complex located on 495 E. Arrow Highway; the courts are the latest addition to Palomares Park.

Palomares Park will be the new home to 16 brand-new pickleball courts. The pickleball courts are located in the far corner of the park where the old tennis courts were once located and will provide the community with a new way to stay active.

The courts are open for public use from 8 a.m. until sunset and will provide park goers with equipment rentals for those interested in trying out the sport.

These new courts are a testament to the rapid boom and interest in pickleball has experienced in recent years.

The reason for its growing popularity is that pickleball is a relatively easy sport to learn and play. It allows for singles and doubles matches enabling a competitive social aspect similar to tennis.

Also it is a light form of cardiovascular activity that is less strenuous on the joints so more people can play it and can be played indoors and outdoors.

With limited amounts of dedicated areas to play pickleball, Pomona has become one of the few local cities that has provided residents with courts to practice the sport.

Public Works Director Rene Guerrero understands the importance of bringing the popular sport to the city of Pomona. “We do know that pickleball is quite popular outside and so we are hoping to bring that popularity to the city,” Guerrero said.

Council Member John Nolte pitched the idea for the court constructions but the project stalled for some time as the park waited for funds to be approved by the city. After nearly a year and a half, the city approved the funds required and the courts were completed three weeks later.

“We don’t know yet if there is a big community for pickleball, but we are hoping to generate some excitement about it,” Guerrero said. “Hopefully, more Pomona residents and more of the community can start participating in Pickleball.”

Palomares welcomes all guests regardless of experience in pickleball to come out and enjoy their new courts.