IN A PICKLE: New pickleball courts open in Moose Lake

MOOSE LAKE, MN. (Northern News Now) - Four new pickleball courts are available for play in Moose Lake, giving more players the chance to get out their paddles.

The new courts, at the Art Ohlgren Recreational Area, were approved by Moose Lake Township over a year ago, beginning construction in May 2022.

The courts are the first outdoor courts in the area, players previously had to travel to Cloquet, Duluth or south to the Twin Cities to play.

“It’s been wonderful,” Tim Caroline, the President of the Moose Lake Area Pickle Ball Club, said. “People have come from all over to play and they are just amazed that our little town has pickleball courts.”

The courts have been open to the public since late June, and they are hosting a ribbon cutting Thursday to commemorate the opening.

According to Caroline, pickleball has picked up steam in the region, like most of the country.

“We had, probably, maybe, 15 people playing and now we’re close to 40 people in our group,” he said.

The courts are open daily, but there’s open play with others on Mondays from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Caroline said there’s many benefits to playing.

”It’s an addictive sport and people have commented about, blood pressure is down since they’ve started they’ve lost weight, they’re having fun, the mental health aspect is great because people are developing relationships and talking with each other,” he said.

Almost anyone can play pickleball too according to Caroline.

“The pickleball culture is interesting, you come to play and you don’t know who you’re going to be playing with,” he said.

He said he’s seen everyone from kids to senior hitting the court.

For more information about the courts or the Moose Lake Area Pickleball Club, you can visit their website here.

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