Erie Pickleball opens Tyler Boulevard facility to enthusiastic reviews

Erie Pickleball co-owner Chris O’Donnell, left, and his playing partner take the court at the new facility on Tyler Boulevard in Mentor. (Courtesy of Dan Goodell)

What started out as an idea and a vision to turn a dusty warehouse into a welcoming indoor facility for those who enjoy one of the country’s fastest growing activities has become a reality for Chris O’Donnell and his wife, Kay.

The O’Donnells opened Erie Pickleball at 8020 Tyler Blvd. in Mentor in late June, and while the full schedule of events hasn’t started yet, the initial response has been overwhelming.

“We have been amazed with how well our first few weeks have gone,” Chris said. “The first night we had a full house was just incredible. The pickleball community is unlike any other, and we have already met some really wonderful people, who want to see our business, and the game of pickleball, thrive. Our beginners are quickly learning the game, and discovering how much fun it can be.”

The six-court facility is specifically dedicated to pickleball and is located in a building that is in a familiar spot to many Lake County residents with a large man-made lake in front of a main thoroughfare in the city.

He stressed Erie Pickleball will have a user-friendly court reservation app so players can schedule playing time right from their phones and not have to worry about fighting for court time when they show up at the courts. There will be participant limits for open play and organized events so players will never run into a situation where they must play one game and sit out for two, which is not an uncommon occurrence at some gyms.

Players will also have the option to reserve private court time.

O’Donnell said the prime feature of the facility, besides the courts themselves, is the Community Room, which is a space for players to socialize before and after they play.

Now that the transformation is complete and the once empty warehouse is filled with bright lights and happy players, it is satisfying to the O’Donnells.

“We’re very pleased with the interior of the building and feel it reflects our initial vision,” Chris said. “It still surprises us when we walk into what used to be a dusty warehouse and now see these bright, open pickleball courts, with people playing and laughing and having fun.”

“The place is large enough to give every court plenty of space, but not so huge as to feel overwhelming,” he added. “The sound absorbent ceiling materials do a really great job of eliminating that echo that can make a club too noisy. It’s exactly what we envisioned when we started the whole renovation.”

Chris said there’s a lot planned at Erie Pickleball besides just on-court activity. They have a birthday party coming and some activities planned for Christmas in July.

Beginner and Intermediate classes are already being offered twice a week and some corporate events are scheduled for this fall. He plans to get a full slate of programming going in the next few months.

“Overall, the facility is pretty well set,” Chris said. “We’re still awaiting our permanent furniture in the Community Room, but we’re making do with some temporary tables and chairs. Smaller items, like signs and hooks, continue to go up, and we will continue to tweak things as needed, based on suggestions from our members.”

“We’re just really excited about the future here, and grateful for all the support we’ve received from our family, friends and the community,” he added. “We encourage anyone who hasn’t played pickleball to get out to any court in hour area and give it a try.”

Equipment is available for rental for those players who do not have their own.

The facility will be staffed everyday, with hours of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays; and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays.

For prices, court reservations and more information go to eriepickle.com.