The much anticipated, delayed opening of Peekskill’s new pickleball courts at Depew Park is now scheduled for sometime in August.
Johnathan Zamora, Peekskill’s Community Hub Director, told the Herald last Thursday that an issue with drainage in the original construction of the courts will be addressed with replacement of water lines and meters.
“Barring any further setbacks, we plan to open the courts for public use in August,” Zamora said. The four courts were originally slated to open in the spring and then delayed to earlier this summer.
When city staff toured the completed pickleball courts at Depew Park in April with DeRosa Sports Construction, the project’s contractor, they encountered issues that prevented the city from accepting the project, according to Zamora.
A DeRosa Sports representative reached by the Herald last Friday referred all questions back to Peekskill officials, including whether or not his company had already been paid by the city.
Another sports field in Peekskill also needed to address drainage issues this year. Baseball at the 20-year-old Peekskill Stadium on Louisa Street was deferred until 2025 as extensive repairs to the outfield forced the ballpark to shut down.
The stadium, opened in July of 2004, is built on a former dumpsite. When constructed, a drainage system was built for the infield but not the outfield. As a result, water remained in the outfield, requiring repairs this year. The repairs couldn’t be made to salvage this year’s games so the Peekskill High School baseball team played their games at Torpy Field and two men’s leagues had to find other homes this summer.
The city hired Jablko Construction of Katonah to install underdrains in the outfield to fix the problem. The cost of the work is $19,500.
Zamora, who previously managed Peekskill’s Senior Citizen Nutrition Program, has now taken over additional management roles overseeing the Parks & Rec Department and the Youth Bureau in his role as Community Hub Director.
Cathy Montaldo, Peekskill’s Superintendent of Recreation for nearly four years, and a long-time public servant in the city, retired from her position on April 4.
As the Rec. Superintendent, Montaldo oversaw all programs conducted at the Recreation Department, and coordinated with community organizations and the Peekskill Youth Bureau as well as being responsible for budgets. Her position was not filled by a full-time manager.
Pickleball fees will help pay for upkeep and maintenance
When open, the pickleball courts will operate seasonally from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, weather permitting. The courts can be used by residents and non-residents. Fees will be charged for a pass with resident and non-resident rates.
Due to the abbreviated season, fees will be prorated this year,” said Zamora. He explained that the fees will be used to offset the cost of maintenance and upkeep of the courts as the city anticipates significant usage.
Pickleball courts in Cortlandt are free of charge for Cortlandt residents only. The Town of Yorktown charges $40 for a pickleball & tennis permit, with an additional $85 charge for non-residents.
According to Zamora, all players who wish to use the pickleball courts at Depew will need to reserve court time through Community Pass, a scheduling and registration platform used by the Parks & Recreation Department.
“An attendant will be present at the courts to assist players, verify court times, and conduct clean up as needed,” said Zamora.
The pickleball courts were installed as part of the upgrades to Depew Park project, funded through a $1 million NYS SAM grant. Councilman Ramon Fernandez and former State Assemblymember Sandy Galef worked closely in securing this grant in 2021. The grant also funded a new multi-sport field, an asphalt track around the field, and a volleyball court alongside the field.
Invented in 1965, pickleball is a mash-up of ping-pong, tennis and badminton and is played on a court one-fourth the size of a standard tennis court. According to a published report, pickleball has become the fastest growing sport in the country in the last few years.
