The Town of Thayne formally opened the new community pickleball courts Friday, Aug. 7 with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The addition of an outdoor court provides the opportunity for pickleball leagues to develop and base from the Town of Thayne.

Thayne already coordinates several athletic programs for both youth and adults.

Volleyball is offered for adults, while the youth are offered basketball and football programs that include both tackle and flag divisions. Soccer is also part of the town’s offerings.

Town recreation programs  fall under the direction of Thayne Town Councilman Joe Heward.

Heward credits the success of the program to the people that help him throughout every season. He specifically acknowledged retiring clerk Sally Humphreys, and her work in helping to coordinate  the programs along with Rebecca Hutchinson.

Humpherys was honored with a retirement gathering at the time the courts were opened on Friday.

To accommodate the new program, the town’s tennis courts were resurfaced and striped for pickleball with the help of a Lincoln County Recreation grant of $20,000. With lighting, the courts are ready to host the first formal pickleball leagues in the summer of 2027.

The new courts, along with new athletic fields, new scoreboards and the addition of outdoor lights are serving a growing Thayne Recreation Program.

Thayne’s activities  have drawn the attention of participants from Jackson to Smoot for both the youth and adult programs.

“I see the town fill up with 1,000 to 1,200 on a Wednesday for soccer,” Heward said as family and friends gather for recreational activities in Thayne.