At 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 27, Clay County Parks and Recreation will host a ribbon cutting and soft opening event for a new pickleball complex at Twin Lakes Park, located at 6065 Twin Lakes Road in Keystone Heights. 

You're invited to attend, and be sure to stick around to watch a scheduled pickleball match between County Manager Howard Wanamaker and Commission Chair Betsy Condon.

At 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 2, there will be a second ribbon cutting and soft opening event for eight new pickleball courts at W.E. Varnes Park in Orange Park.

The county has seen a growing interest in pickleball, so Parks and Recreation spearheaded a project to rebuild two tennis complexes into pickleball complexes at Twin Lakes Park and at W.E. Varnes Park. This resulted in 14 new, dedicated pickleball courts: six at Twin Lakes Park, and eight at W.E. Varnes Park.

The renovations, which were funded through grants, cost $159,022 at Twin Lakes Park, and $174,422 at W.E. Varnes Park. Construction on these projects began in January and finished on April 7. 

Visitors will also find 14 dedicated tennis courts across Clay County parks, including at Little Rain Lake Park in Keystone Heights, and at Foxridge and Armstrong Parks in Orange Park.

Did you know?

Pickleball has been around since 1965, but the sport has seen a major rise in popularity in recent years.

According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, pickleball remains the fastest-growing sport in America. Participation nearly doubled in 2022, and it’s increased by 158.6% over the past three years.

Pickleball in Clay County

Clay County now has a total of three dedicated pickleball complexes. The first was built at Ronnie Van Zant Park in Lake Asbury, and has six pickleball courts. 

Augusta Savage Park in Green Cove Springs will soon be the site of six more dedicated pickleball courts, which are currently in the design process. The projected completion date for this construction is between the summer and fall of 2023.