Columbia County parks manager details hurricane repairs, new pickleball complex and resident memberships

Wes Horton, Columbia County park operations manager, described ongoing repairs after hurricane damage, upgrades to splash-pad facilities and the county’s new Racquet Center pickleball complex during a Parks & Recreation “A to Z in CC” segment produced by the county.

Horton said county crews are rebuilding a disc-golf course at Wildwood Park that sustained damage in the storm and are reconstructing the splash pad at Evanstown Center Park, which is closed "as we are rebuilding as we speak," he said. "It's going to be an enhanced splash pad. We wanted to expand the footprint, make it better, and make it more enjoyable for the park users."

The updates matter to residents who use county parks for camping, sports and seasonal events. Horton said Wildwood Park is one of the county’s largest parks, with a campground, a lake, and a disc-golf course; Wildwood also offers a glamping partnership and public boat ramps. The county’s Racquet Center, acquired about a year earlier, includes clay tennis courts and hard courts and now a 10‑court pickleball complex with new lighting.

Horton described membership options at the Racquet Center and Wildwood. He said clay-court memberships are available to residents and nonresidents for a fee and that hard courts are available for reservation. He said the new pickleball complex is available to residents and nonresidents but that Columbia County residents receive a pickleball membership at no charge. Horton advised callers to contact the Wildwood or Racquet Center phone lines directly to set up camping reservations, court reservations or memberships; specific phone numbers were not provided in the segment.

Park maintenance staff handle routine upkeep and event logistics countywide, Horton said. He described daily responsibilities including trail and landscape maintenance, soccer and baseball field work, splash-pad care, and setup and teardown for county events such as concerts and the July 4 celebration. Horton said crews also prepare Evanstown Center Park for the county’s holiday lights event, assembling displays and infrastructure beginning roughly around Oct. 20 and taking about three to five weeks to install and test before the first lighting of the season.

Cassidy Harris, public relations director and host of the segment, said the parks-maintenance team is visible at events and daily park work and thanked staff for their “heavy load to lift.” Horton said the department adjusts work each day to meet changing needs and that staff accept the challenge of maintaining county parks to the county’s standard.

No formal policy changes, votes or funding amounts were discussed in the segment. Horton described work already underway and service offerings; he did not provide timelines for reopening the damaged facilities beyond saying reconstruction was in progress.

Residents seeking reservations or membership information should contact Columbia County Parks and Recreation through the Wildwood or Racquet Center phone lines, the segment said.