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Frankenmuth News

Serving Frankenmuth Since 1906

Vol. 120 No. 02 In our 120th year!

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

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PICKLEBALL PIONEERS: A determined group of Frankenmuth-area residents are looking forward to having their own eight courts built in the city. Currently, a crowdfunding campaign is under way and they are nearing their $50,000 goal.

Community is on its way to funding 8 pickleball courts

   For many years, Frankenmuth-area residents who winter in Florida and Arizona have learned a new sport of pickleball.

  These residents brought the game to Frankenmuth Parks and Recreation Department’s tennis courts, improvising in order to play within the court measurements, net sizes, and more.

  Recently, there has been a groundswell of folks who like to build regulation pickleball courts within the city limits. Erecting these courts could be coming soon, thanks to an initiative through the State of Michigan.

  The City of Frankenmuth will soon be home to eight new public pickleball courts, to be located adjacent to the city’s existing office and public safety building, in the northwest corner of North Franklin and Rathaus streets. This project will be fulfilled through the anticipated success of a crowdfunding campaign that the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the City of Frankenmuth announced Monday morning, July 14.

  If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $50,000 by Friday, August 22, the project will win a matching grant with funds made possible by MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places (PSCP) program. For project details and to donate to the fund, visit www.patronicity.com/muth.

  Local foundations, service groups, and the city have already contributed to this project.

  "Access to free and public recreation is a key component of positive public health outcomes and we are happy to support that with the development of these new community pickleball courts in Frankenmuth,” MEDC Regional Prosperity Managing Director Paula Holtz said. “We are pleased to provide resources for this effort through our Public Spaces Community Places program.”

  During the past decade, local pickleball players traveled to neighboring communities to play or played on the local tennis courts. The sport of pickleball first arrived in Frankenmuth through a dedicated local resident and retired Frankenmuth School District educator Dave Budnik about 12 years ago. Now, thanks to an organized group of residents (and pickleball players), the city has agreed that they have the demand and space for pickleball.

  During the winter months, pickleball courts have been set up in the Harvey Kern Community Pavilion......

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