Pickleball in Kirkland

Pickleball game at Everest Park

The City of Kirkland is exploring ways to expand pickleball options in Kirkland.

On March 19, 2024, Kirkland City Council authorized staff to proceed with temporary uses of the former Houghton Park and Ride site including four pickleball courts, community gardens, a modular skate park, a modular bicycle pump track, and a bicycle play area. Work on these temporary features began at the beginning of April 2024.

Where to Play

Park & Location

Hours

Number & Type of Courts

Everest Park

8 AM to dusk

3 pickleball courts

Feriton Spur Park

8 AM to dusk

1 pickleball court

Former Houghton Park and Ride (7024 116th Ave NE) Coming soon 4 temporary pickleball courts

North Kirkland Community Center

Friday afternoons; call 425-587-3350 to confirm times

Indoor drop-in play on two modified courts; $3 fee; loaner equipment available

Van Aalst Park

8 AM to dusk

Dual striped basketball court; bring your own net

 
Nearby Places to Play

Classes

The City of Kirkland offers pickleball classes and leagues during the summer. Visit kirklandparks.net to find and register for our pickleball programs.

 

Rules

Everest Park Pickleball Court Rules

Open Play Courtesy Rule - if courts are full and there are players waiting, please limit play to one game to 11 points and rotate.

  1. Players must wear athletic or tennis shoes
  2. No pets allowed on the court
  3. No bicycles, scooters, skate boards, rollerblades, or skates allowed
  4. No glass of any kind allowed on the court

Rules of the Game

Basic Rules of Play - a summary from USAPickleball.org

 

History

Pickleball was started in Washington on Bainbridge Island in 1965 by Joel Pritchard, Barney McCallum and Bill Bell. The name came from Pritchard's wife, Joan.  She named it after the pickle boat in a crew race where the crew is chosen from the leftovers of other boats in the same manner that pickleball was pieced together with elements from other racket sports. The Pritchard's originally played on a badminton court with ping-pong paddles and a whiffle ball. Pickleball as named the official state sport of Washington in 2022.