Queens community members and leaders gathered at Alley Pond Park in Oakland Gardens to celebrate the completion of four new pickleball courts in the athletic fields on Friday, July 19.
The completion of this $28,000 project provides a dedicated space for one of the fastest growing sports in New York City. Located along the end of the Alley Pond Main path, the pickleball courts are in the same area as the tennis courts and baseball fields.
Among those on hand to celebrate this occasion were NYC Parks Queens Borough Commissioner Jackie Langsam and Queens Council Member Linda Lee.
“Alley Pond Park is home to athletic fields, golf courses, hiking trails and playgrounds, and today we’re adding pickleball to the list of amenities which make this park so special,” Langsam said. “The popularity of pickleball continues to grow in Queens, and NYC Parks is excited to meet enthusiasts at our many courts around Queens. In adding pickleball to the many options parkgoers have at Alley Pond Park, we’re offering another way for Queens residents to stay active and have fun with this new exciting sport.”
Projects such as this helps to further NYC Parks’ goal of providing exciting new options at local greenspaces that best serves the needs of the communities. Another recently completed project was a newly surfaced pickleball court at Farm Playground in Fresh Meadows. That pickleball court was converted from a handball court that had previously been underused.
“Eastern Queens is known for its beautiful parks and green spaces, so I am proud to join NYC Parks in ensuring that our community’s facilities are maintained for all residents,” Lee said. “I know how much the community enjoys tennis and pickleball at our city’s parks, so I look forward to seeing athletes young and old enjoying a state-of-the-art court all summer long. Thank you to NYC Parks and Commissioner [Sue] Donoghue for your partnership.”
The new Alley Pond Park courts come on the heels of the opening of a new $26 million Alley Pond Environmental Center, which opened in 2023 after nearly two decades of planning and work. Parks is also in the process of planning a pathway reconstruction project throughout Alley Pond Park that is meant to increase accessibility within its community greenspace.
