Wellton Pickleball Club holds ribbon-cutting ceremony

WELLTON, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Wellton Pickleball Club is held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday morning to celebrate the renovation of the courts at Butterfield Park.

The renovations more than doubled the pickleball club’s members from 30 to over 60.

The city of Wellton allocated $10,000 for the renovations which expanded the courts from four to six, while members of the club also worked on the project as well.

“It was really appreciated and they donated the time and they didn’t have to we could have had somebody come out and pay for all this stuff but they decided that it was worth the effort to do it,” said the Wellton Pickle Ball club President Dale Yankala.

The courts are open Monday through Saturday from eight a.m. to around ten p.m.

They are open to everyone but the club is always accepting new members free of charge.

Ruth Widmark is an 85-year-old pickleball player who explains why she enjoys the renovation so much.

“It’s much easier for us to play pickleball here than going thirty miles into town to try and play… there’s lots of people here to play and they’re very nice people and we just enjoy it,” said Widmark.

Wellton pickleball club member Alicia Jorajuria stated that the courts would get busy during January, so the new additions would provide more room for more people to play.

She also specifies exactly what about the game has her so hooked.

“The minute you walk onto the court you're just the same as everybody else my husband and I play in flagstaff in the summer time and we’ve played with doctors, firemen, teachers, grandmas, grandpas,” said Jorajuria.