Keeping up with demand, Jupiter adds pickleball courts where tennis, hockey rink stood

JUPITER — Pickleball enthusiasts have 13 more reasons to rejoice. Thirteen new pickleball courts are now open — five at Abacoa Community Park and eight at Jupiter Community Park. To pile on to that thrill, Jupiter's Parks and Recreation department will celebrate on Friday, April 26, with giveaways and prize drawings at those courts.

The celebration begins at Jupiter Community Park from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Friday. That afternoon, the festivities move to Abacoa Community Park from 5 to 6 p.m.

The first 50 people at each location will receive free pickleball and cooling towels and will also have a chance to win a Town of Jupiter gift bag that includes a paddle, cooling towels, a cooler bag and more, according to an announcement issued by the town.

More: Florida is the 2nd-best state for Pickleball in this list. Here are the top places to play

Pickleball is a sport on the rise, so much so that demand prompted town officials to scrap three tennis courts at Jupiter Community Park and one of the hockey rinks at the Abacoa park to make way for some of the new pickleball courts.

Since the first pickleball rulebook was published in 1984 by the United State Amateur Pickleball Association, the sport has exploded, with more more than 36 million players as of last year, according to the Association of Pickleball Professionals.

Courts at both parks are available during park operating hours, Monday-Saturday 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Play is divided into prime-time and regular play. During regular play hours, both singles and doubles, time on court is limited to two consecutive games.

More: New pickleball courts in Palm Beach Gardens and more coming to Jupiter

If you go:

Jupiter Community Park Pickleball Court Grand Opening

Eight pickleball courts, bottom left, are now completed at Jupiter Community Park.

When: 8-9:30 a.m. Friday, April 26, 2024

Where: 3377 Church Street, Jupiter

Abacoa Community Park Pickleball Court Grand Opening

Five new pickleball courts at Abacoa Community Park.

When: 5-6:30 p.m., Friday, April 26, 2024

Where: 1501 W. Frederick Small Road, Jupiter

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: New pickleball courts open at Jupiter, Abacoa Community Park