A Naperville man’s $100,000 donation to the Naperville Park District will be used to fund pickleball courts at the Frontier Sports Complex in 2022, officials said.
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The money from Jim Rothermel will fund nearly half the $240,000 construction cost of the courts, which will be named after him, park district Planning Director Eric Shutes said.
It will also help push up the project’s projected construction start date, which had been set for 2024.
A formal donation agreement will go to the Naperville Park Board for approval in January, Shutes said. Rothermel could not be reached for comment.
Pickleball has been increasing in popularity in recent years and building more courts is something residents often request, Shutes said.
The plan is to build four to six courts on the east side of Frontier Park, located off 95th Street and Route 59 on the city’s far south side. They’ll supplement the 12 courts located in Ashbury Park, DuPage River Sports Complex, Knoch Park, Nike Sports Complex and Ranchview Park.
“We have a demonstrated need and demand for pickleball courts,” Shutes said. “We had this planned all along, but this allows us to move it up the schedule.”
Pickleball is a mix of badminton, tennis and table tennis that’s played with a small paddle and perforated balls that look like small wiffle balls. It’s considered one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S., with the Sports and Fitness Industry Association reporting the number of players grew more than 21% between 2019 and 2020.
Mark Duffy and Kim Neppl, who were playing pickleball Tuesday at the Nike Sports Complex, said they welcome the additional courts because demand is so high during the summer and people often must wait for a court to open up.
Duffy said the sport attracts older players, is easier to learn than tennis and is a popular co-ed activity.
“I’m seeing younger people beginning to play it, too,” added Neppl, who said she gravitated to the sport after an injury prompted her to find less strenuous activities. It will also be nice to have courts closer to her home than those those at Nike, she said.
“I’d like to thank the person who is donating them. I think it’s wonderful,” Neppl said.
Park district Executive Director Ray McGury said part of the sport’s appeal is that almost anyone can play it.
“Pickleball is popular with active older adults but is a game that can be enjoyed by all ages,” he said. “We look forward to seeing more kids enjoy this game along with their families.”
Rothermel originally wanted to donate money to fund a mini-golf course but the estimated $1 million cost made it something the park district couldn’t afford, Shutes said.
District officials suggested the donation might be used elsewhere, and “there was definitely an interest to support some type of amenity,” he said.