COLUMBIA, S.C. — A proposed pickleball center known as PickleGarden, which could be built near the Saluda River in Columbia, is receiving attention from residents.
The joys of pickleball are simple for Cricket Huff: community, physical activity, and accessibility.
"It doesn't matter what level you are, all levels can play," she said.
They're the reasons why she and her husband, Randy, have been playing for over four years each. However, they say they've struggled to find courts in downtown Columbia.
"All the courts are in Cayce, Lexington, West Columbia, all around Columbia," Randy said.
According to Tre Bray, the cofounder of 'PickleGarden,' that's part of the reason he and his business partner chose to begin development on a brand new pickleball center. He said the facility would be next to the Saluda Riverwalk and include a beer garden with food.
"There's five or six kind of container, micro restaurants, so there's a good food court or lot for you," he said. "Six pickleball courts in a row, and you'd be walking a 12-foot wide walkway between that set of courts and the set of courts that would be below you, a step or two below you. So the idea is that you could have like a bar top across those fences."
Randy Huff said the idea is an exciting one. "It's good to see new courts coming in the Columbia area because it's the fastest-growing sport in America," he said.
The pickleball court is also receiving some criticism from residents in Columbia. Lee Kelly, a lifelong Midlands resident, said he is worried about what development might do to the wildlife along the Saluda.
"I think this is a really nice landmark for conservation so I personally just think it's a shame because from what I see from the plans on their website they're cutting through the habitat corridor, and that could affect the ecosystem there, isolating one side from the other," he said
Bray said the environmental impact is top of mind for him and developers.
"We have no intent of coming in and clear cutting, we have intent on having only native plants, having as much sustainable building practices and materials as possible," he said.
Bray said he wants the space to bring people closer to nature and closer to the community. "We want to get those people out of that unhealthy environment and into this spot where they can socialize with people, they can be connected to the environment," he said.
He said their next step is to work with engineering firms to finalize blueprints and work with the city for licensing.