Seaside Heights Plans to Add Pickleball Courts to Town

Seaside Heights’ basketball courts, which are slated to be converted to pickleball courts. (Photo: Shorebeat)

Seaside Heights is the latest Shore community to embrace the pickleball craze.

Borough officials on Wednesday unanimously approved an application for grant funding to convert the basketball courts located near the Hugh J. Boyd Elementary School on Bay Avenue into pickleball courts.

Seaside Heights’ basketball courts, which are slated to be converted to pickleball courts. (Photo: Shorebeat)

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The funding, if approved, would come by way of a state Local Recreation Improvement Grant. Historically, the grants are awarded in April following a February submission deadline. The borough is seeking $147,000 for the conversion of the courts, said Borough Administrator Christopher Vaz.

Responding to a question from a resident, Vaz said the courts will be completely converted as part of the plan; the basketball alignment would be removed in favor of pickleball facilities, markings and equipment.

Children from the school, at least as long as it remains open, would likely still be able to access the area during recess and other time periods.

“There’s been no discussion on that, but I don’t see why not,” said Vaz.

Seaside Heights’ basketball courts, which are slated to be converted to pickleball courts. (Photo: Shorebeat)

Seaside Heights’ basketball courts, which are slated to be converted to pickleball courts. (Photo: Shorebeat)

Over the past several seasons, residents on numerous occasions asked Seaside Heights leaders if they would consider adding pickleball courts to town as the sport has exploded in popularity. Lavallette has carved out a reputation as being something of a pickleball “capital,” Ortley Beach added courts at the site of its now-demolished EMS building, and Seaside Park has been considering adding courts at the shuttered elementary school there.