Orland Park has long prided itself on providing residents with more than enough space for recreational purposes and remains poised to continue being a leader in that movement.

Now, with the explosion in the sport of pickleball, village officials are moving forward with plans to construct more than a dozen new dedicated pickleball courts at three locations throughout the village.

Trustees recently approved plans to build four lighted courts behind the Sportsplex, two unlit courts at Doogan Park and at least nine lighted courts at Centennial Park. The village has budgeted money for the project and also has secured state grants. Pickleball courts cost approximately $40,000 each to construct. These courts would be located in areas that do not have homes in close proximity

“The idea was to spread the courts around the various parks so they weren’t all at one location,” Mayor Jim Dodge said. “That would have been too dense. The village has always prided itself on having enough parks where kids could grow up and play in parks close to home.” 

The village currently has 60 parks.

Trustee Cindy Nelson Katsenes said she often fields calls from residents clamoring for more pickleball courts. “These courts are in high demand,” she said. “The sport provides great exercise and it can be played by people of all ages. Plus, there is the social aspect of the sport.”

According to the Sports & Fitness Industry, the number of U.S. players grew to nearly 20 million in 2024, a 45 percent jump from 2023.  Younger players are driving the boom. While initially popular among retirees, the average player age is now around 35 and trending younger. The 18-34 age bracket is the fastest-growing demographic in the sport.

Exploding infrastructure: Court availability is expanding rapidly, with an estimated 68,000+ courts now available across the U.S. Cities and private facilities are adding over 100 new court locations every month to meet demand.

Factors that have contributed to the sport’s success include: Accessibility: The game is easy for anyone to learn, regardless of age, fitness level, or athletic background. This creates a low barrier to entry for casual players; social and community-focused: As a doubles-heavy sport on a smaller court, it is naturally a social and interactive game that encourages camaraderie and cross-generational play: COVID-19 pandemic: The need for safe, socially distanced outdoor activities during the pandemic greatly accelerated pickleball’s growth, as people discovered its benefits as a recreational and social outlet; and Simplicity and affordability: With minimal and relatively inexpensive equipment required, pickleball is an easy and affordable way to get active. 

These courts would be located in areas that do not have homes in close proximity to homes. 

One pickleball court currently exists at Doogan Park. The existing basketball court could be converted to a pickleball court and ready for play by late 2025 or the spring of 2026 depending on weather. The two tennis courts at Doogan Park are already striped for pickleball.

 Design and engineering of the Sportsplex courts would be initiated in early fall 2025, allowing for construction to begin and opening of the courts in 2026. The estimated cost of design and engineering for Sportsplex courts ranges from $40,000-$60,000 depending on detention requirements.  Funds saved from scaling back the Doogan Park plan would be utilized for these professional services, as well as part of the Sportsplex court construction cost.

The Sportsplex courts would be free to the public and be supported by the facility and facility staff. Sportsplex provides an adjacent, air-conditioned/heated lounge with indoor restrooms, water fountains and direct staff supervision. Programming (e.g. lessons, leagues, tournaments) would be conducted by Sportsplex staff.

With the development of a new outdoor ice rink as a part of the Downtown Orland Park Redevelopment Plan, the Centennial Park Ice Rink would be converted to nine or more, lighted pickleball courts. Design and engineering could begin in 2026 with construction of the courts in 2027.

The village has 22 tennis courts and each court is stripped for pickleball play.

 The Village also provides indoor pickleball opportunities at the Sportsplex on six courts, the Orland Park Health and Fitness Center on two courts and the Franklin Loebe Center on three courts.