Pickleball is having a field day. Now people in Columbia are working to bring the popular sport to Glatfelter Memorial Field.

"The Sports & Fitness Industry Association deemed (pickleball) the fastest-growing sport in the United States for the third consecutive year," said Carl Glatfelter, president of the Glatfelter Memorial Field Trust board. "This park serves the people of Columbia and the surrounding communities, and we want to be on trend with that growth in the popularity of the sport."

Fundraising is currently underway to transform former tennis courts at the park, located at 1249 Lancaster Ave., Columbia, into a dual-use street hockey rink and pickleball courts. The project will be similar to a dual court and rink located at West Hempfield Township's Fairview Park.

Since pickleball can be enjoyed by people of all ages, adding courts for the sport will make better use of the old tennis courts, Glatfelter noted. The benefits of pickleball include exercise, fitness and socialization. "I do not play pickleball but will definitely try it on the new court," he said.

The estimated cost for the project is $60,000, and Launch Kits has created a new website for donors to contribute online to the effort. The board hopes to have the court operational by next year, depending on fundraising success, Glatfelter said. "As with any project, we need to do a cost-benefit analysis to make sure we have something that will last without spending too much," he commented. "This is easier said than done sometimes."

The Columbia Street Hockey League began using the old tennis courts almost a decade ago, and the new project will continue to provide space for both street hockey and pickleball. Because both cannot be played at once in the limited space, dedicated times will be established for each sport, and depending on popularity, a reservation system may be instituted at a later date.

Glatfelter hopes local residents will support the fundraising efforts as an investment in the community to create a space for fun and fitness in a park that has a long history in Columbia.

"It has always amazed me how everyone in Columbia has used this park throughout their lives," he shared. "We are all alumni in a way, having played Little League or coached or even just being a parent or grandparent watching a game. It builds nostalgia in all of us, and I believe adding this court will contribute to this park."

To learn more about supporting the pickleball project, visit http://www.GlatfelterMemorialField.com.