Ribbon-cutting Tuesday for new pickleball courts

Published 7:00 am Monday, July 21, 2025

New pickleball courts are set to open next week to the public at the Walter B. Williams Jr. Park in Baldwin County. (Billy W. Hobbs/The Union-Recorder)

Those who love playing pickleball in Baldwin County are in for a big treat next week when 20 new courts open at Walter B. Williams Jr. Park.

A special ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m.

The new courts were built with funding from a $2 million grant, according to Baldwin County Manager Carlos Tobar.

A separate portion of the grant funding was used to replace the lighting on the ballfields at the park. The new, modern lighting replaces old lighting that had been in place since 1974, said Baldwin County Recreation Department Director Traci Bowden.

The new lighting has already been installed.

And this coming Tuesday at 10 a.m., a special ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held to officially open up 20 new pickleball courts, adjacent to where the new water park is located.

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The water park will open next summer.

Members of the Baldwin County Board of Commissioners, along with officials with the Milledgeville-Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce and local pickleball enthusiasts are expected to attend the ceremony.

Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation.

The 20 new pickleball courts and eight older courts are near the tennis courts on other side of the park. 

The new courts bring to 28 the total number of surfaces for playing the sport.