City Council Approves Pickleball Agreement

The Glenwood City Council has authorized a maintenance agreement with the Southwest Iowa Pickleball Committee.

The council voted in favor of establishing the agreement at the request of Dr. Jacque Young, a spokesperson for the Southwest Iowa Pickleball Committee. Young said the council’s action, which designates public works director Perry Cook as the city’s liaison for the project, was a necessary step as the committee completes its application for a grant from the Iowa West Foundation.

The committee is aiming to turn the deteriorated city-owned tennis courts on South Vine Street into a six-court pickleball complex. Young told council members at their regular meeting last week the expected cost of the project is $200,000. Young said the courts would be built with post-tension concrete that would last for up to 50 years.

Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation that combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis - utilizing paddles and plastic balls (similar to a wiffle ball). More than $25,000 in donations and pledges has been secured for the project.