BY ADAM ATKINSONNorth Country This Week

POTSDAM -- The village continues to make improvements and enhancements to its pickleball court complex at Sandstoner Park.

The village board of trustees approved an expenditure for additional fencing at the so-called "Potsdam Pickleplex" at a special meeting Tuesday, July 9.

The resolution passed by the board assigns $10,000 in fund balance for the fencing which will be black chain-link with a top rail and serve as dividers for the courts.

The fencing purchase will be reimbursed by a funding contribution from the town that will be distributed next year.

Overall, the village has invested more than $100,000 into the pickleball facility since opening it in 2022 and the sport's popularity locally has grown at a pace with the national growth in participants in the sport.

"It's amazing the popularity of those facilities. So we are excited to see them enhanced," said Village Mayor Alex Jacobs Wilke.

Village Deputy Mayor Steve Warr, a leading proponent of the sport and the courts, told North Country This Week that the village has spent $116,000 on the six outdoor courts at Sandstoner, of which about $100,000 was for paving the area, and installation of lights and perimeter fencing by Sheehan contracting. About $16,000 of that amount was for painting of the courts.

The village has also used a funding contribution from the town to purchase a storage shed, blowers and squeegees to clean the courts.

Potsdam’s so-called “Pickleplex” is funded and maintained by the village, but the town also contributes $12,500 a year to the effort.

He said the village still needs to purchase and install 8 of the 12 planned-for benches at the courts, and a couple sets of spectator bleachers, which were on the village's original "wish list."

Warr estimated that about 265 people are currently enrolled as members in the North Country Pickleball Club who use the courts.

"They run pickleball tournaments and they've given close to $20,000 to charity so far," Warr said.

He said the club will run another fundraiser for local fire departments sometime in September with not only pickleball but also kickball games.

"It's literally the fastest growing sport in the country," Warr said. The deputy mayor pointed out that the sport has no age barrier or gap for competitors.

"High school kids are now wanting to get involved," he said. "We have an 87-year-old playing. And in one game today, the youngest player was 73."

"And, it's mixed. The women are just as good as the men, on every level, they are just outstanding," Warr said.

He said even though the courts feature the same people using the courts, they have had over 7,000 usages since opening.

"It's reinvigorated the area, because it's the first thing we've done in 50 years, since I've been in the village, for adult recreation, for getting people off the couch," he said. "They are meeting people, it's a social environment."

"We have the nicest courts north of Syracuse," Warr told North Country This Week.

There is a lifetime membership fee to use the village courts of $60 for village and town players and $125 for those who reside outside of the municipalities.

The courts’ play schedule is managed through a website called PlayTime Scheduler, a free scheduling tool created exclusively for pickleball and covers courts all over the United States.

To set up a time to play at the “Pickleplex” or at other pickleball courts in St. Lawrence County visit the play scheduling website at https://bit.ly/3Dp8eMu .

To schedule court time at Sandstoner Park, players need to register for a free account on the website.