COLUMBIA \u2014 Changes are coming for pickleball players at Albert-Oakland Park in Columbia. <\/p>\n
The park has undergone renovations and construction for several months to add more pickleball courts to the facility. <\/p>\n
According to the Columbia Parks and Recreation Department, there will be 16 pickleball courts once the renovations are complete, nearly doubling the original number of courts. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s just nice to come out, hang and have laughs with friends,\u201d Olivia Shackleford, an MU student, said. <\/p>\n
Shackleford said she and her friends usually go to Albert-Oakland to play once a week. <\/p>\n
“I’ve only really played, for fun, out in public at Albert Oakland,”\u00a0Shackleford said.\u00a0“It’s always been like the go-to place.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
But because Albert-Oakland Park is a go-to spot for many, the construction means longer wait times for people wanting to play pickleball. <\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes, the waits can get up to 15 or 30 minutes,” said\u00a0Justin Vogel, an MU student who plays pickleball regularly.\u00a0“Sometimes it’s a little disappointing because you have to wait.\u201d <\/p>\n
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The department said going to play during non-peak times means shorter wait times and more pickleball. <\/p>\n
\u201cEarly bird gets the court, I guess,\u201d Shackleford said. <\/p>\n
The explosion in pickleball has been significant across the country and in mid-Missouri. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, pickleball was the fastest-growing sport<\/a> in the United States in 2025 for the fourth consecutive year, rising over 300% in popularity. <\/p>\n \u201cI think as soon as those courts are finished, they’re going to be very well used,”\u00a0Tammy Miller, Columbia Parks and Recreation Department communications coordinator, said.\u00a0“And we’re going to see a lot of pickleball players out there.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n