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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

ALABASTER – Thanks to a partnership with Shelby County, three new pickleball courts have been added to Alabaster’s Patriots Park as the city continues to support the country’s fastest growing sport.

During an Alabaster City Council meeting on July 22, the Council previously approved multiple resolutions to help with the construction of three new pickleball courts at Patriots Park which were made possible thanks to the help of the county. With the new courts completed, Patriots Park now offers a total of six pickleball courts for residents to take advantage of.

“We greatly appreciate our strong partnership with Shelby County in making this project possible,” Alabaster Public Relations Manager Neal Wagner said. “Pickleball has proven extremely popular at our courts at Patriots Park and Veterans Park, and were happy to be able to provide these new courts for our community.”

The new courts are located next to the initial ones but are larger in order to comply with the standards of the pickleball association. The new courts were also rotated 90 degrees in order to face a different direction due to previous complaints by residents of the sun impeding vision during play. Fencing is also now situated in between each of the pickleball courts at the park.

In order to make the new courts possible, Alabaster entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Shelby County Park and Recreation Authority who provided site work and managed the project. The city of Alabaster approved funds for the construction in an amount not to exceed $20,279.64.

Additionally, the city entered into an agreement with C&W Concrete Construction, Inc for the concrete work needed for the three additional pickleball courts in an amount not to exceed $44,715 and an agreement with S&G Waldrop Electric Inc. for electrical work in an amount not to exceed $37,000.

The city also had an agreement with Musco Sports Lighting LLC relating for lighting equipment for the project in an amount not to exceed $37,500. and an agreement with Metro Fence to provide fencing for the three new pickleball courts in an amount not to exceed $14,936.

These new improvements to the pickleball courts come after the city first opened Patriots Park in August 2023. Alabaster also offers eight pickleball courts for citizens to take advantage of at Veterans Park.