Victory on the Courts, Vision for the Future: Pickleball Tournament and Community Engagement Event Shape the Future of Hanna Park

By Emily Wright

LOCK HAVEN— Lock Haven City Council members and the Lock Haven Area Pickleball group hosted a pickleball tournament and community engagement event at Hanna Park last Sunday, September 8. The main feature of the day was a 16-team double-elimination pickleball tournament, but the event also aimed to gather ideas and feedback from community members about the future development of Hanna Park.

Athletes battled it out on the courts in what turned out to be a spirited competition. Ultimately, Gene Tran and Tim Bennett clinched first place, with Colt Smith and Rich Greene taking second and Brennan Haines and Joe Marchese finishing in third.

With Hanna Park slated for improvements, attendees were encouraged to share their ideas and suggestions for the park’s future with city council members as teams took to the pickleball courts. “The feedback from the event and responses from the Hanna Park survey will be used to develop a preliminary site plan and project budget as the City of Lock Haven works to gather funding for the project,” said City Planner and Development Coordinator Abbey Roberts in a press release following the event. 

The city aims to secure grant funds from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to finance the park’s redevelopment. These efforts underscore the city’s commitment to enhancing our local recreational spaces.

“City staff would like to thank the community for showing up and sharing their ideas, and the Lock Haven Area Pickleball group, including Ron Haffley, Jeannine and Wade Shadey, and Paul Ballat, for their partnership in the event,” Roberts said in her press release. 

As the city moves forward with planning and securing funds for the project, community members can look forward to a renewed Hanna Park thanks to their support and collaboration.