ECPC Parks and Recreation Receives Gift from Sentara Healthcare!

April 5, 2023 – The Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Parks and Recreation Department has received $30,000 from Sentara Healthcare to support construction of the community’s very first pickleball courts, allowing residents to play the new racquet sport taking the country by storm.

 

Sentara’s award is the latest of its many, continuing investments into the Elizabeth City/Pasquotank County community. These investments are intended to not only support residents in the hospital and the doctor’s office, but to holistically and proactively champion their health and wellness.

 

Pickleball is among the fastest-growing sports in America, and is a fun and simple mash-up of tennis, Ping Pong and badminton. It’s lower impact and easier on the joints than tennis, making it easy for people of almost any ability level to play. Sentara’s healthcare professionals may readily recommend it to almost anyone trying to stay healthy, including older adults or those managing chronic conditions.

 

Pickleball doesn’t need much selling, though. Public demand for the courts is so strong that Parks and Rec is hoping to build as many as four pickleball courts in the coming months. Parks and Rec plans to build them on available green space next to the Elizabeth Street tennis courts, which will continue to serve that sport’s avid players.

 

“Just a few years ago, people didn’t even know what pickleball was; now we can’t build the courts fast enough!” said Parks and Rec Director Sean Clark. “We’re elated that Sentara is investing in our residents and helping them not only exercise, but have a lot of fun.”

 

Clark said Parks and Rec looks forward to promoting organized pickleball, such as local tournaments, once the courts are constructed. Parks and Rec and City staff are currently working to leverage Sentara’s gift with other potential funders, and the department hopes to open the first courts later this year.

 

Sentara Healthcare is a not-for-profit health care delivery system with more than 29,000 employees and 12 hospitals, including Sentara Albemarle Medical Center in Elizabeth City. Sentara is recognized nationally for clinical quality and safety and is strategically focused on innovation and creating an extraordinary health care experience for the communities it serves.

 

For more information, please contact Parks and Rec at 252-335-1424 or Sentara’s media pager at 757-671-4971.