The list of amenities at Bertha and Tony Saladino Park in Brandon keeps growing, with three new Pickleball Courts being added to the popular county facility at 1705 Bryan Rd. in Brandon. The lighted courts will be another welcome addition to the playgrounds, exercise equipment, basketball courts, baseball field, walking path and dog park already enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.
Based on community feedback, pickleball has been recognized as the county’s fastest-growing sport in recent years, with the Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation department acknowledging this by adding courts to meet demand. Along with Saladino Park, new facilities will also be added to Mango Park in Seffner and Balm Park and Community Center in Wimauma.
When asked about the Saladino project coupled with the expansion of courts, Jason Mackenzie, Jason Mackenzie, CPRP, park planner and development manager for Hillsborough County, was excited to say, “Hillsborough County is scheduled to have 55 pickleball courts functional by the end of next year with 35 currently open. A bulk of the additions were funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, with current projects funded by park impact fees paid by developers. Our goal is for the courts to be spread evenly throughout the county. We anticipate the Saladino project to be completed by end of first-quarter 2025.”
However, Mackenzie was quick to point out there was still a lot of what he calls “unwow” work to be completed before folks see any progress on the courts. This work includes “land preparation involving the addition 20-plus parking lots, expanding and filling in part of the existing retention pond, reconfiguring storm water piping and laying conduit for the lighting. All this [underground] work needs to be completed before the pickleball pads are poured. The courts themselves then need 30 days to cure before lines can be painted in order to avoid bubbles in the paint.”
With over 27 years of Parks & Recreation experience, beginning as a City of Tampa lifeguard and eventually working his way through the system, Mackenzie stressed the importance of parks and the role they serve in the community: “Parks provide the backdrop to all great memories growing up. It gives people an opportunity to break away from the rest of the world.”
Mackenzie firmly supports the county’s commitment of providing “passive recreation opportunities where visitors to our parks feel free to use the facility at their pace without agenda or staff oversight.”
Other local area projects on Parks & Recreation’s review agenda include upgrades/improvements to Sadie Park/Brandon Community Center as well as the Providence West Sports Complex. All park projects are listed on the county’s capital improvement projects page at https://hcfl.gov/government/cip-projects-and-resources/county-capital-improvement-projects. County pickleball information can be found at https://hcfl.gov/residents/parks-and-leisure/outdoor-recreation/pickleball.
For more information, Mackenzie can be reached at mackenziej@hcfl.gov.
