Wiffle Ball? Pickleball? Urban Sports Park built to lure downtown Louisville workers
A vacant lot along downtown Louisville’s historic West Main Street was renovated into the Baird Urban Sports Park, a new sports venue offering Wiffle Ball fields and pickleball courts.
“Baird is very committed to the revitalization of downtown Louisville and turning a vacant lot into a community sporting venue in the heart of downtown for pickleball, and Wiffle Ball play meets that objective perfectly,” said Jim Allen, vice chair of Baird. “We are firm believers that a vibrant downtown is essential for the overall health and growth of the region.”
The idea to turn the lot at 615 W. Main St. into a sports park started in 2021 when Metro Parks proposed the idea. Previously know as RePurposed, this 20,000-square-foot lot had only been used for short-term or pop-up style events.
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"The beauty of RePurposed is that it is a blank canvas for events of any kind," said Rebecca Fleischaker, executive director of Louisville Downtown Partnership.
There are currently seven other pickleball courts across Louisville but the two courts at Baird Urban Sports Park will be the only ones in the heart of downtown.
This sports park was revitalized through the collaboration of Baird, the YMCA, Louisville Parks and Recreation and the Louisville Downtown Partnership. It took one week to paint the park, and signage is still being developed.
The goal of the sports park is to attract employees to return downtown to their offices by hosting extracurricular activities that occur right after working hours.
"We hope that downtown businesses will assemble teams as a fun activity, but the park is open to individuals of all ages to participate in some friendly competition," Fleischaker said.
From September to October there will be an opportunity for people to join in a league and compete in Wiffle Ball games on Thursdays and pickleball on Wednesdays. Both leagues will start game play at 5:30 p.m. Registration is now open, and the first games are scheduled for Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. The league seasons are set to end Oct. 26 and 27.
In the spring and summer of 2023 Louisville Downtown Partnership hopes to add additional types of play to use this space.
For those wishing to register a six-person wiffle ball team, it will cost $300. Pickleball teams of two can expect to pay $50 to participate in the fall league.
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The sports park is only scheduled to be open 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays for league play. Efforts are being made to curate a schedule that allows for open play hours throughout the week. When the sports park is not actively being used, it can be reserved for events.
Baird fully funded the lot transformation. Fleischaker estimates it has cost $25,000 so far but notes the sports park is not completed yet.
Baird is an investment firm and financial services company. The company has been a member of the Louisville community since 1854 and currently has an office downtown. The sports park is located mere minutes away from the company's office. Baird also has a partnership with the Professional Pickleball Association.
“The Baird Urban Sports Park is a fun and creative way to bring Louisville residents back downtown by providing a space for pickleball and Wiffle Ball league play, two games that are surging in popularity.”
Contact reporter Olivia Evans at oevans@courier-journal.com or on Twitter at @oliviamevans_
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Sports park offers pickleball, Wiffle Ball in downtown Louisville
