Medford Builds the Region’s Largest Pickleball Complex in a $1.8 Million Sports Expansion
MEDFORD, Ore. — As the game of pickleball gains in popularity throughout the U.S., the City of Medford will be home to 19 state-of-the-art lighted pickleball courts expected to attract national and regional tournaments.
As part of an ambitious $1.8 million sports and recreation development at the Howard Memorial Sports Park, the facility will be known as the Lithia & Driveway Pickleball Courts and will be the largest municipal facility of its kind in the region.
Apart from the 19 lighted courts, the plan includes the development of a further six courts in a future construction phase.
Acting on strong community demand, the public facility will be jointly funded by Medford City, the Howard Memorial Sports Park, Inc., and the Southern Oregon Pickleball Association.
More Beach Volleyball Courts, Youth Battlefields and Cage, and a Basketball Court Will Form Part of the Project
Announcing the major sports and recreation development, Med City says apart from the pickleball courts, the facility will include:
Three collegiate beach volleyball-quality sand courts, almost doubling the city’s current number of volleyball courts. The courts will be built on the south side of the park.
Three youth ballfields and batting cages will be situated on the west side of the park.
The field dimensions are optimal for by 12-and-under baseball and 18-and-under fastpitch softball. This facility will boost the shortage of ballfields in Medford to meet the demand for youth baseball and fastpitch practices and games.
A basketball court, while smaller than standard size, will be a full court with two hoops, a common feature of Medford’s neighborhood parks of this size.
Neighborhood Park Will Serve More Than 2,000 Residents
A new neighborhood park will serve over 2,000 Medford residents within a half-mile radius. The park will include a playground, a basketball court, picnic tables with shade structures, a walking path, and an 89-stall parking lot.
Vietnam War Memorial
Construction has already begun on a Vietnam War Memorial. This replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall will feature the name of more than 58,000 men and women who served and died in the war.
After years of fundraising, the war memorial is financed by the Southern Oregon Veterans Benefit, the Howard Memorial Sports Park, Inc., and Rogue Valley businesses.
The new facilities will be situated on parkland adjacent to the Rogue Credit Union Community Complex – RogueX. Work is scheduled to begin this fall, with the completion date for most of the features next year.
