HUNTERTOWN — Sherry Karst, an avid Huntertown pickleball player, has finally realized her dream of hometown pickleball courts. More than 100 people of all ages came out to The Huntertown Family Park on July 26 to witness the ribbon cutting and opening of six dedicated, outdoor pickleball courts.

“I am so excited … to see everybody coming out and enjoying this. It is beyond words for me,” Karst said.

Karst is not alone in her excitement to see the pickleball courts become a reality for the park.

“It’s phenomenal having the pickleball courts. This is just going to be the highlight of the park,” Dan Holmes, Friends of Huntertown Park, Inc., said.

Holmes, who was instrumental in organizing the Friends of Huntertown Park, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization, acknowledged the tireless efforts of Karst and the cooperation of everyone to make the pickleball courts a reality.

“Sherry Karst — I can’t give her enough accolades. That gal has just done a fantastic job of putting this together. The park has helped 100% with her. She has worked tirelessly to get this thing done,” he said.

Karst spearheaded a long-term fundraising campaign that included obtaining grants, organizing fundraisers, and paying fees to play pickleball, all in an effort to get the courts in the park.

“We started planning this two years ago. About $200,000 has been spent so far on Phase One of the project,” Karst said. Adding, “The money was raised by all the pickleball lovers … (and) once the community started hearing about this, we had some big donations from the community.”

The pickleball courts, surrounded by a chain-link fence, are located in the northwest corner of the park near woodland that provides some shade on the north and west sides of the play area.

“We thought with the shade on both sides and with the noise (level) this was a perfect spot to put it,” Holmes said.

Besides the courts, Karst envisions lights and a pavilion for the next phase of the project.

“The next thing for the park will be lights and then we are going to put up a big pavilion, she said.

Adding, “After that, (we anticipate) bathrooms, and parking.”

“So, we still have a long way to go. Hopefully, everyone will come together, and the next phase will be (done) even quicker,” Karst said.

Current estimates for the lights and the pavilion come in at about $60,000, she said.

Plans to raise the money include a pickleball tournament in September in the park. Other funds are anticipated to come from community donors.

“We have a few donors who have said they will step up again. I look for it (completion of the next phase) by next spring, maybe,” Karst said.

The Huntertown Family Park is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The park has approximately 17 acres of open land that is mostly grass, and approximately 10 wooded acres, Holmes said.

MARY ANNE GATES