Two new pickleball courts are set to be added to Dana Point’s Del Obispo Park, among a slew of other renovations, as residents across Orange County advocate for additional court space for the sport.

Council members approved an agreement with a design firm to work on plans for the park in a 3-0 vote during a meeting last month. Councilmembers John Gabbard and Michael Villar were absent. 

According to Dana Point Public Works Director Matt Sinacori, the design is expected to be complete in the next 12 to 18 months.

In addition to pickleball courts, the project blueprint includes updating the park’s drainage system and improving public safety with lighting upgrades. 

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Dana Point is not the only city that has seen a rapid increase in pickleball interest, as the sport is grabbing the attention of residents all across Orange County.

Cities across OC are adding more public pickleball courts — whether through new construction or restriping projects to allow current facilities to accommodate pickleball — as more residents urge officials to create new court space.

[Read: More Pickleball Courts are Coming to Orange County]

A previous review by Chapman University students in partnership with Voice of OC found there has been a county-wide increase in court construction as the sport becomes more popular.

“People are willing to wait an hour or more just to play a game,” Wayne Yost, a longtime Dana Point resident and pickleball instructor, said at the March 4 City Council meeting. “This proposed improvement of adding the new courts and the spectator seating adjacent to that will be extremely helpful.”

There are currently three outdoor and three indoor pickleball courts at Del Obispo Park. Sinacori said the city has several other courts located in Dana Crest Park, Thunderbird Park and Creekside Park.

“All of our classes on the indoor courts [at Del Obispo] sell out within seconds of them being posted online,” Yost said. “Outdoors on a nice day, on a weekend, we can have 50 to 60 people out there [waiting]. That’s for three courts.”

The March 4 agenda report also brought up several surrounding maintenance issues in the basketball and pickleball courts relating to drainage issues and natural build-up. 

The report states that leaf blowers are currently being used to deal with natural debris and to dry the courts, but staff have found this method is inefficient.

Staff also say the potential designs for a retaining wall can be used as public seating while contributing to better drainage and landscaping.

“I think it’s going to be a great improvement to the overall complex,” Councilmember Jamey Federico said at the March 4 meeting. “The entire community center complex is locked in by the berm of the San Juan Creek, and so drainage over there is really, really challenging.”

Additionally, Federico pointed out the visual water damage to the dirt batting cage on the other side of the park. 

The batting cage is expected to be resurfaced with material to account for flooding and creek overflow.

The park project also includes lighting improvements.

“Adding lighting in that part of the park will add a whole level of additional security,” Sinacori said at the meeting. “It’s not just to light the courts — we are going to add lighting along the walkways, which will be a touch brighter than what’s out there today.”

Dana Point joins Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Anaheim as some of the most recent Orange County cities to add pickleball courts. 

Earlier this year, La Palma officials announced the completion of a restriping project that created the city’s first-ever public pickleball courts.

[Read: OC Pickleball Courts Swell to Meet Demand]

While pickleball may be the hot new sport, not all enjoy the hype. 

Laguna Beach has received several complaints regarding noise associated with the sport, while other cities struggle to find the proper space for new courts.

[Read: What’s the Best Approach to Pickleball Courts in Orange County?]

In an email, Sinacori, the Dana Point public works director, said the city has not received any complaints regarding its renovation plans.

“Pickleball seems to continue to grow in popularity, and the city is happy to make the investment in this popular recreational activity.”