Town plans to build three new pickleball courts in Peconic

Southold Town officials are moving ahead with plans to meet the demand for more pickleball courts in town.

The town will earmark $50,000 from its parks and playgrounds budget to pay for three new courts at Tasker Park in Peconic. A resolution is expected to be approved Tuesday night authorizing the funds so the project can begin.

Pickleball, which is played with a paddle and Wiffle ball-style plastic ball, combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong, and has become common in recent years.

The town added pickleball lines to two tennis courts at Jean Cochran Park in Peconic in 2016 due to its popularity.

Town recreation supervisor Janet Douglass noted in October that town-offered pickleball classes were maxing out and that more people were playing pickleball than tennis at the courts.