Four Pickleball Courts, New Basketball Court Eyed in Seaside Heights

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

The pickleball craze is about to expand in Seaside Heights, while those who want to play a classic game of hoops may also have a fresh court for themselves.

Borough council members this week were presented with several potential designs of a pickleball facility that has been planned for about a year next to the Hugh J. Boyd Elementary School on Bay Boulevard. The lot on which the pickleball facility is planned has historically been home to basketball courts, and though demand for pickleball has skyrocketed, the borough will likely build a new basketball court alongside the facility.

“Pickleball is big,” said Mayor Anthony Vaz, explaining that more court space has topped the list of residents’ requests. “We had a tennis court and we made it into a combination pickleball court. This is going to be strictly pickleball because it’s become very popular. We have year-round residents who play, summer residents, tourists – everyone is getting into it.”

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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)

The design plans envision four purpose-built pickleball courts – not converted tennis courts – and one basketball court within the space. Some of the funding for the effort will come via a $68,000 grant that the borough received last year. The borough sought $147,000 for the project, but the grant funding will defray much of the cost. Students from the school would presumably still be able to access the area during recess and other time periods, assuming the courts were not reserved.

“Right now, we have to give it back to our architect and engineer, and once we approve it, they can get to work,” said Vaz.

The project will need to be fine-tuned by professionals, then the physical construction work will be put out to bid. Vaz said the court facility will most likely be constructed after the 2025 summer season.