Robin Francisco, a local realtor and an Indian Lake area resident, is like many who have become hooked on the rising sport of pickleball.
However, Francisco has had to travel to other communities to play pickleball because there are no courts around Indian Lake.
Now, she wants to change that.
Francisco has jumpstarted a campaign to build courts at Indian Lake. She started a Facebook group about a year ago. The group has grown to more than 400 members.
With two co-administrators, Laura Kunkle and Seth Barnes, and other group volunteers, Francisco has built a team of local residents and tourists that are working to complete a new court project at Oldfield Beach.
After several meetings with the group, the Indian Lake Development Corporation made pickleball an official organizational project.
Francisco’s group has also teamed up with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to work with the Indian Lake State Park. The ODNR has designated land at Oldfield Beach for eight pickleball courts.
With these strategic partnerships now in place, the group is in the fundraising phase to build the courts.
A total of $237,000 is needed for construction of the project.
Local residents have kicked off the campaign by donating about $7,000 to date.
Francisco and her team are now reaching out to members of the community to become corporate sponsors and donors.
She said ground breaking will depend on the time it takes to raise the funds, but the hope is construction can start this summer.
Pickleball is a sport similar to tennis, but with a smaller court. Instead of rackets, players use paddles. Like tennis, it can be played with two or four players.
The ball is made of hollow plastic similar to a wiffle ball.
For more information on the project, go to the Indian Lake Ohio Pickleball group on Facebook at https://facebook.com/groups/1915687045268575.
Informaton about the group’s efforts, fundraising opportunities and more is also available on the ILDC website at /pickleballcourts.