ORR- With more than half of the necessary funding already in hand, residents in the Orr area could be playing pickleball on new courts as early as September as a community fundraising effort moves closer to transforming the town’s long-neglected tennis courts into a new recreation facility.
Association president Tom Peterson said the Pelican Lake Pickleball and Tennis Association has raised approximately $39,000 toward a project expected to cost between $70,000 and $75,000.
Members of the association gathered Monday at the Orr Community Center to review fundraising efforts and discuss plans for the project, which will convert the former Orr School tennis courts into two pickleball courts and one regulation tennis court.
The project follows similar court installations in Greenwood Township and Cook, where pickleball has grown steadily in popularity in recent years. Organizers saw an opportunity to bring the sport to the Orr area by repurposing the existing courts, which have fallen into disrepair since the school closed.
Among the largest contributions have been grants of $10,000 from USTA North, $5,000 from Essentia Health, and $5,000 from Lake Country Power. Additional support has come from the Bois Forte Band, Park State Bank, local businesses, private donors, and community fundraising efforts.
The association also raised approximately $2,500 during a fishing opener fundraiser held at the Dam Supper Club. Peterson said local musicians donated their time for the event, helping boost proceeds.
The biggest step forward came recently when Mesabi Bituminous committed to completing the court rehabilitation work later this summer. Peterson passed along this communication from the company:
“We are proud to assist the community of Orr in rehabilitation of their old tennis courts into a first class facility for both tennis and pickleball,” said Tom Nemanich, owner of Mesabi Bituminous. “Our goal is to have the asphalt complete by end of July or early August at the latest.”
The project will include repairing extensive cracking, removing existing posts, installing new anchors and posts, and resurfacing the entire court area with new asphalt.
Once the asphalt work is completed, the courts will need to cure before being painted. Peterson said organizers hope painting can be completed in late August or early September, potentially making the courts available for use sometime in September.
The finished facility will feature one regulation tennis court and two pickleball courts separated by fencing.
Retaining a tennis court was important both for local players and for securing grant support through the United States Tennis Association.
“We’ve got the tennis court going in,” said association member Rebecca Keller. “People want to play tennis.”
Peterson noted that the current courts were built in 1997 and have deteriorated significantly over the years.
“The goal is to renovate the tennis courts in Orr,” Peterson said. “After the school closed, they really went into neglect. Nobody did anything with them, and now they’re pretty much unusable.”
Association members said they are continuing to pursue additional funding opportunities, including applications to Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation, St. Louis County’s Community Development Block Grant program, and Minnesota Power.
Even with additional fundraising still ahead, organizers said they are optimistic now that the project is finally nearing the construction stage after months of planning and fundraising.