Pickleball will come to James Park at the recommendation of the City of Evanston Park and Recreation Board.

The decision was made during a special board meeting on Thursday, October 24, where board members voted unanimously to convert all six tennis courts at James Park to make way for no less than 15 courts of pickleball, including an adapted one. pickleball court.

The courts are scheduled to be completed no later than July 1, 2025.

The proposal to build all pickleball courts at James Park beat out two other options: creating a mix of tennis and pickleball courts at both James Park and Leahy Park, and creating six new dedicated pickleball courts at Chandler Park.

Michael Kloster, an Evanston resident, said he was very pleased with the outcome of the vote.

“It was what we were hoping for,” Kloster told the roundtable.

During public comment, Kloster said pickleball is an opportunity to build more community in Evanston. Additionally, he said James Park was the city’s best chance to create those opportunities.

“It features a central location that supports open play,” Kloster said. “It has enough space to build high-quality lands without being crammed together.”