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Volunteer-led effort opens Richmond’s new pickleball courts, town committee outlines next steps
Summary
Richmond’s Three Parks Committee announced the opening of new pickleball courts after a two‑plus‑year effort, thanking dozens of volunteers and local donors and outlining volunteer maintenance, a spring grand opening and plans for a 30‑space gravel parking area at Brown’s Court.
Denise Barard, co‑chair of Richmond’s Three Parks Committee, told the Select Board the town’s long‑awaited pickleball courts are complete and open for play, and she credited a large volunteer effort and local donations for getting the project finished.
“After over two years of work on this project, it is a pleasure to announce … the long‑awaited pickleball courts are now complete and open for play,” Barard said, describing a volunteer day when volunteers planted 60 arborvitae trees and later “christened the court” by playing into the evening. She singled out specific town staff and volunteers and donors, and said organizations including Northfield Savings Bank, Sweet Simones and Cumberland Farms contributed materials or refreshments.
Why it matters: The courts convert an underused town asset into a community recreation site that will be managed by volunteer stewards. Barard said volunteers will handle routine tasks — locking and unlocking gates, watering newly planted trees at least twice weekly and general upkeep — relieving town staff from day‑to‑day maintenance and providing an immediate operating plan.
Supporting details: The courts will be open from 8:00 a.m. until dusk; they will be locked at night for safety and operated on a first‑come, first‑serve basis with no reservations. The Three Parks Committee reported that about 40–50 volunteers helped plant trees and prepare the site, and that bench and accessible picnic table purchases were funded in part by the Richmond Conservation Committee. The committee said a formal policy for scheduling and court use is about 80% complete, and the Richmond Elementary School has expressed tentative interest in using the courts when available.
Board response and next steps: Board members and staff thanked the committee for organizing volunteers and for the detailed planning. Committee members said their next steps include advancing a gravel parking plan for Brown’s Court (a proposed 30‑space unpaved lot) and working with town staff to draft final maintenance and scheduling rules. The Select Board asked staff to bring any contractor bids or formal parking specifications back to the board for approval.
The board did not take a vote on the courts themselves; the presentation served as an informational update and a request to continue coordinating implementation details with town staff.
