Pickleball Paradise Opens In Boca
Approximately 400 South Florida pickleball enthusiasts flocked to Patch Reef Park Wednesday evening to be among the first to play on Boca Raton's first public covered pickleball courts.
The grand opening proved nothing short of a smashing success.
“Throughout the process we knew this would be a fantastic facility, but to see it open today in all its glory, it's even better than I expected,” Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District Commissioner Bob Rollins said.
District Commissioners and other dignitaries stood side-by-side as District chair Erin Wright snipped the ribbon to cheers, opening Patch Reef Park's new 18 covered pickleball courts.
“I think this is magnificent,” United States Pickleball Association ambassador Raul Travieso said. “It's going to be the premiere venue to play pickleball in South Florida – maybe all of Florida.”
With the ribbon cut, Wright and Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer took the court with Rick Retamar and Brian Levine of the Boca Surge professional pickleball team for the first volleys.
“Unbelievable the work that these people have done to put this thing together,” Retamar said. “I've been to a lot of facilities all over the country. This thing is designed perfect.”
A free clinic from Patch Reef's pickleball professionals teaching the sport's basic skills and strategies followed the ceremony on one side of the facility. Players streamed onto courts at the other side for open play, serving and dinking into the night.
The facility's 18 courts include two that are ADA compliant. The facility also features lighting, a state-of-the-art sound system, bleacher and table seating, overhead fans, water, ice and additional parking.
The new courts are expected to be busy. Initially, open play is scheduled for 7:30 a.m.- noon and 4:30 – 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. Weekends will feature open play from 7:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Reserved play will occur from noon – 4 p.m. on weekdays, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. on weekends.
The schedule will be evaluated during the first weeks of play and adjusted as necessary.
Future plans also include clinics, tournaments, special events and a city corporate pickleball league.
Want to play on the new covered courts? Patch Reef Paddle and Racquet Club operates through the PlayByPoint App available for download in app stores. All reservations - including open play, court bookings, clinics, programs, tournaments, ladders – are managed directly through the app.
The new facility is located at the southern end of the park, adjacent to the tennis facility now known as the Patch Reef Paddle and Racquet Club.
Resident annual memberships and semi-annual memberships are available for residents and non-residents.
To qualify as a resident, a player must either own, occupy or lease real estate within Boca Raton, the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, or Palm Beach County.
Calvin, Giordano & Associates, Inc. designed the facility. CSR Construction began work on the facility a little more than a year ago.
Now that the covered pickleball courts are open, the District will begin rebuilding Patch Reef's outdoor pickleball courts and tennis courts. The construction will occur in phases, starting with the outdoor pickleball courts.
Research by American Pickleball Professionals found that nearly 50 million people have played the sport at least once over the past year, making pickleball America's fastest growing sport. And the Boca Raton community is a pickleball hotbed. Three of the top-ranked women nationally and two of the top-ranked men live in southern Palm Beach County.
Located on Yamato Rd. west of Military Tr., Patch Reef Park opened in 1983. Its Tennis Center opened in 1987.

Approximately 400 people attended and played during the Patch Reef Park covered pickleball facility's grand opening.

Surrounded by District Commissioners and other dignitaries, District chair Erin Wright cuts the ribbon opening the Patch Reef Park covered pickleball facility.