By CRAIG FREILICH

POTSDAM -- The joint town and village Recreation Committee and Clarkson University are working toward establishing pickleball courts in the village.

Pickleball is similar to tennis, with paddles, court lines, a net, and a peforated plastic ball, and is growing in popularity.

For that reason, the Recreation Committee has been seeking ways to establish the game in Potsdam, and Clarkson has come up with a proposal, according to committee co-chair Rose Rivezzi.

“They would like to redo four tennis courts, for tennis and pickleball, in partnership with recreation,” Rivezzi told fellow town councilors Tuesday night.

Those Clarkson courts, superseded by newer ones, have been run down a bit and would require repaving, painting new lines for tennis and pickleball games, and adjustable nets that could be raised for tennis and lowered for pickleball.

That would cost about $40,000 and an in-kind contribution from public works employees and the recreation budget would enable a split of the cost with Clarkson.

Paddles and balls would be available for lending or rental from Pine Street Arena, and the courts could be used by anyone for pickleball or tennis whenever a court is open.

“It would provide a new program opportunity for recreation. It’s popular with older people, and increasingly popular with college students,” Rivezzi told councilors.

“We’re still discussing it, but the recreation board is leaning towards it,” she said.