The pickleball court is open daily 8 a.m. to dusk.
Mount Ephraim and the Camden County Board of Commissioners cut the ribbon to a brand new pickleball court in town on October 28. It is part of a larger project to build a complete pocket park at the underutilized space behind the baseball field at Linden Avenue Recreation Complex.
Camden County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. joined Mount Ephraim Mayor Susan Carney and Assemblyman Bill Moen to celebrate the pickleball court’s first day open to the public. Two Mount Ephraim senior residents, Polly Mitchell and George Newman, were invited to play on the court before the ribbon cutting, as well as speak at the ceremony.
“This is an exciting addition to the community, and another opportunity for residents to get outside, stay active, and enjoy everything their hometown has to offer, and certainly Mount Ephraim does have a lot to offer,” Cappelli said. “But recreation is more than just sports. Parks and recreational facilities bring people together, strengthen neighborhoods and create opportunities for families, friends and neighbors to connect.”
Cappelli said many towns are asking for pickleball courts — and many towns have introduced courts over the last couple of years — so it is exciting for Mount Ephraim to fulfill the request and join in on the popular, fastest-growing sport in the United States.
Mount Ephraim senior residents, Polly Mitchell and George Newman, speaking at the ribbon cutting ceremony with Mount Ephraim and Camden County representatives.
The pocket park project and pickleball court development was made possible through $50,000 of funding from the Camden County Open Space Grant. The enclosed court — which features two individual courts — is the phase of a multi-phase project to complete the entire pocket park, which Mount Ephraim representatives hope to later include beautification enhancements with a garden, new activities like bocce ball and horse shoe, and expanding a trail through the woods.
Additionally, Assemblyman Moen said the borough and county received a $25,000 matching grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, as well as a $64,000 local recreation improvement grant. The funding not only helped create the courts, but it supported completing the water drainage in the space.
“These improvements are important, because every community deserves access to quality recreational facilities, and even relatively small investments can make a meaningful difference in residents’ everyday lives,” Cappellli said.
“Together, we worked very hard to transform this underutilized space into a recreational space that can be enjoyed by our residents and neighbors. This is truly born from a collaborative teamwork effort, and we are very proud of our concerted efforts,” Mayor Carney said. “We are on a mission to revitalize areas within the borough that are in need to make a meaningful, positive difference within our little hometown with a big community heart. We envision being an active community epicenter.”
The pickleball court is open daily 8 a.m. to dusk.
Mount Ephraim senior residents, Polly Mitchell and George Newman, playing on the new pickleball court in town. It is located behind the baseball field at Linden Avenue Recreation Complex.
