Melann Maakle, of Butler, returns a serve at the new pickleball courts in Ritts Park, Butler. The courts have already proven popular with multiple games taking place in the cooler morning hours on Wednesday. Cary Shaffer/Butler Eagle

Wednesday was a long-awaited day for the Butler Pickleball group, as the seven pickleball courts at Ritts Park reopened after they were painted and had their nets firmly strung up.

Dozens of people who are part of the group ventured out to the newly painted courts at the park to enjoy a sport that Jackie Bullman said is “so versatile.”

“Kids can play, adults, old people, middle age, you can play as competitive as you want; you can just play and have fun,” said Bullman, founder of the Butler Pickleball group. “Those courts were slammed (Wednesday).”

Butler City Council initiated a $125,000 project at Ritts Park late last year that would renovate sidewalks, plant trees, install seating and, the most important part for dozens of pickleballers, revamp the tennis courts they had been using for pickleball into seven new pickleball courts.

Bullman, who lives in East Brady but grew up in Butler, said she started playing pickleball “four summers ago,” and spoke with council about three years ago to get a pickleball project underway at Ritts.

She said when she got together at the park to play pickleball with her crew, they used to just draw the pickleball lines themselves on the tennis courts. As the sport’s popularity grew, Bullman and friends were able to kick start the project, which in turn led to more local interest in pickleball.

Liz Archambault, of Butler, second from left, lunges at the ball during a pickleball game at the new courts located at Ritts Park in Butler. Cary Shaffer/Butler Eagle

“There were two old tennis courts there barely being used, and they ended up painting two courts for us,” Bullman said. “The more I promoted, the more I took pictures, all of a sudden there was more grant money and now we have seven courts instead of two.”

According to USA Pickleball’s website, a regulation court is 44 feet long by 22 feet wide, smaller than a regulation tennis court.

Butler City Councilman Dan Herr, who is the city’s director of parks, recreation and public property, said the pickleball courts had to be painted in the right temperature conditions with two base coats of paint and two topcoats, which led to the project taking a little longer than initially planned.

However, the courts opened to great fanfare, and Herr said there will be even more features added to the site in the coming months.

“It looks great and they are open for use,” Herr said Wednesday. “We’re going to have a sign put up giving the rules.”

Bullman said that because pickleball can be played by just about anybody, the renovated courts will be an asset to Butler. As a pickleball enthusiast, Bullman said it is her goal to introduce even more people to the sport, and the group has newbie nights planned alongside more competitive tournaments.

“The retired people would say pickleball has made the biggest difference in their lives,” she said. “A paddle and a ball is all you need.”

Butler Pickleball plans to play at the courts at Ritts Park six days a week through the summer. She emphasized that aside from the physical benefits of the sport, the friendships that form are a positive as well.

“The most important thing that everybody has found is the friendships they have developed is just phenomenal,” Bullman said. “You’re with the Butler pickleball group more that you are with your family.”