Leesburg, VA — On a breezy April morning, town leaders and residents gathered just steps from Freedom Park to mark something many in the community have been asking for: dedicated pickleball courts.
Mayor Kelly Burk, Council Member Zach Cummings, and town staff officially broke ground Wednesday on Leesburg’s first municipal pickleball facility—turning years of resident advocacy into something tangible.
And in true pickleball fashion, they didn’t toss dirt.
They tossed pickleballs.
Instead of the traditional shovels of soil, Burk, Cummings, Parks & Recreation Commission Chairman Brody McCray, and “Mayor for a Day” Luca Hobel—a fifth grader from Ball’s Bluff Elementary—celebrated by scooping up bright plastic balls to mark the start of construction.
From Packed Gyms to Permanent Courts
If you’ve tried to find indoor court time in Leesburg over the past couple of years, you already know—pickleball here is booming.
“Over the past several years, we’ve seen pickleball take off across the country, and Leesburg has been no exception,” Burk said. “Our residents have embraced this sport. You’ve filled our indoor spaces, shared your passion at meetings, and collaborated with our Parks and Recreation team to help us understand what this could mean for Leesburg. And today we get to turn that energy into a permanent, dedicated space.”
That push from residents is what got the project into the town’s Capital Improvements Program back in fiscal year 2023.
What’s Being Built
The new courts will sit just outside Freedom Park in southeast Leesburg—a location that’s already a hub for recreation.
Here’s what the project includes:
- Five outdoor pickleball courts
- Asphalt playing surfaces
- Perimeter fencing
- Lighting for evening play
Construction is expected to wrap up by fall 2026, just in time for peak outdoor season.
Why It Matters for Leesburg
For longtime Loudoun residents, this is another sign of how quickly recreational needs are evolving alongside the county’s growth.
Pickleball, once a niche sport, has become one of the fastest-growing activities in the country—and here in Leesburg, it’s clearly struck a chord across generations.
What stands out in this project is how directly it came from the community. Residents didn’t just ask for courts—they showed up, filled programs, and pushed the conversation forward.
Now, the town is responding with a dedicated space that reflects that demand.
If you want to follow construction progress or learn more, the town has set up a project page at Leesburg Pickleball Project Info.
