Volunteers Seal the Deal: Silver Bay’s Pickleball Courts Take Shape-

When Shane Hoff checked the weather forecast, he spotted a rare break of warm, dry days—a nar­row window of perfect conditions that he and the dedicated volunteers renovating the Silver Bay Outdoor Recreational Area knew they had to seize before it slipped away.

The asphalt was laid last fall, but the timing of applying the acrylic coating for the four new pickleball courts this spring depended on a lit­tle help from Mother Nature.

“We were just waiting for some warm weather this spring to put the acrylics down,” Hoff explained. “It has to be above 50 degrees when you put it down, and it can’t get be­low 50 degrees until it’s dry. I didn’t think we’d be able to do it through mid to late June with the tempera­tures in this area, but when we saw the forecast, I gave people about two days’ notice. I asked, ‘Are you guys available?’ and we had a good group that responded.”

For Hoff, an avid pickleball player and former Blue Line Club presi­dent, this project has been a labor of love that’s been in the works for years. He and an enthusiastic group of volunteers set out to breathe new life into the aging outdoor hock­ey rink by transforming it into a multi-purpose recreational space that now includes pickleball courts

“It started with the outdoor hockey rink we needed to refurbish and re­build, and I was involved in that,” Hoff said. “So, it was kind of a per­fect mix—using the area for two different things, combining them. A lot of groups came through with funding.”

Though the volunteers were eager and ready to pitch in, none of them had previous experience applying acrylics to asphalt, Hoff said. “It was definitely a learning experience for all of us,” he added, highlight­ing the determination that carried the project forward.

Despite their inexperience, Hoff praised the crew’s teamwork. “I think if you put the people who worked on this project on any other project, they’d be able to do a good job and get it done,” he said.

On Thursday, May 29, volunteers gathered to prepare the asphalt sur­face, set up equipment, and apply a black acrylic resurfacer mixed with sand, which served as a primer coat for the courts.

The following day, the crew cleaned the surface again before applying two coats of “ice blue” acrylic con­centrate mixed with sand, covering the entire rink—more than 13,000 square feet in total.

On Saturday, the volunteers careful­ly measured and drew out the pick­leball courts. They applied “light blue” acrylic concentrate with sand to the service areas, preparing the surface for the final touches.

As the weekend wound down on Sunday, volunteers taped and painted crisp white lines to mark the courts and completed touch up work and cleanup.

“Even though it was some long days, it’s great just being out there with people who are passionate and willing to help out just for the good of the community,” Hoff said. “It’s just good to see things like that.”

There’s still a bit more to do before the area is fully ready. With funds running low, the city has stepped in to purchase the nets, which should be installed within the next couple of weeks. Plans are also underway to add dividers between the courts around the same time.

An official ribbon-cutting cere­mony is planned soon to mark the completion of the project, celebrate the volunteers’ hard work, and thank the sponsors who made it all possible.

Mayor Wade LeBlanc expressed deep appreciation for Hoff and the volunteers, calling the upgraded fa­cility “first-class” and highlighting its year-round potential.

“It’s going to be unbelievable for our kids,” LeBlanc said. “Hockey in the winter, pickleball, skating, and rollerblading in the summer — it’s going to be a great addition to our community.”

Hoff said many people have been excited about having outdoor courts in Silver Bay.

“I think this is going to make the pickleball boom in this area,” he said.

Having an outdoor court in Silver Bay opens up even more opportuni­ties for people to try pickleball—a fast-growing paddle sport that blends elements of tennis, badmin­ton, and ping pong. Popular among all ages, pickleball courts are in high demand as the sport continues to surge nationwide.

“Now people can go down any time they want and play, so I think it opens up a lot of different people there learning how to play it and gives the opportunity to play. These will probably be the nicest courts on the North Shore, outside,” Hoff said.

Many local residents, businesses, and foundations played major roles in making the upgrades a reality. In-kind contributions came from Van­House Construction, along with the City of Silver Bay’s Public Works and Parks and Recreation depart­ments. The Blue Line Club secured favorable deals from Sinnott for as­phalt and Micah Taintor for fencing materials.

Generous monetary contributions totaling over $150,000 were pro­vided by the following sponsors: Lake County Recreation Board, Sil­ver Bay Blue Line Club, Cleveland Cliffs, Minnesota Power, Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation, Isabella Com­munity Center, North Shore Federal Credit Union, and the Duluth/Supe­rior Community Fund.

This project wouldn’t have been possible without the generous sup­port of local residents, businesses, and organizations who all pitched in to make the upgrades a reality. Thanks to their efforts, the Silver Bay Outdoor Recreational Area will serve the community for years to come.

Hoff expressed, “Many thanks to our dedicated volunteers!” Those volunteers who helped bring this vision to life include Pat and Vicki O’Brien, Bruce Johnson, Vane Hoff, Hans Mueller, Lisa Top, Chris Mat­tila, Gary Hohman, Tom Clifford, Gerry Cheney, Duane Robinson, Stacey Hohman, Wade LeBlanc, Ray Churak, and Shane Hoff.