Chicago Area Open Play Courts

Howard and Gina tell you about different open play courts in the Chicago area that they’re familiar with.

 

Information on open play courts below. This is based on our best understanding. Reported typical open play times are very rough and will vary from day to day.  Please email thirdshotrants@gmail.com with corrections and comments.

 

1. Horner Park (Chicago)
   1. Typical open play times: weekdays 9-11 am, 6-10 pm; weekend 9 am-noon and maybe rest of day.
   2. Lights: yes.
   3. Courts: on tennis courts, with up to eight pickle courts using temporary nets on either side of the tennis net. You need to bring/share pickle nets. Can also borrow a net from the fieldhouse if you leave a license.
   4. Racking system: white wood consolidated rack on east end (probably ignore the black ones by each court)
   5. Level of play: 3.0-4.5 ish, higher in the evenings.
   6. Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/bu5d47Bb8AaNEi6T7?g_st=ic. 
   7. Parking: free street parking on Montrose and adjacent streets; also a free lot on California, which is a bit of a walk.
   8. Team Reach code: 224488
2. Welles Park (Chicago)
   1. Typical open play times: weekdays 5-10 pm (maybe in the mornings but uncertain); weekend mornings 9 am-noon.
   2. Lights: yes.
   3. Courts: three dedicated courts, no separators.
   4. Racking system: consolidated rack on the east side.
   5. Level of play: 3.0-4.0 ish.
   6. Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/21gGsywYgLyCERmc7?g_st=ic. 
   7. Parking: free street parking on Montrose and adjacent streets.
   8. Team Reach code: Wellespark3
3. Maggie Daley (Chicago)
   1. Typical open play times: weekdays 9 am-noon; weekends maybe 9 am-noon.
   2. Lights: yes (but not really applicable as open play is in the morning).
   3. Courts: on tennis courts, with up to perhaps twelve pickle courts using temporary nets on either side of the tennis net on weekday mornings; two pickle courts (or perhaps more) on weekend mornings; nets provided by park district.
   4. Racking system: not positive but it appears to be well organized on weekday mornings.
   5. Level of play: perhaps 3.0-4.0 ish.
   6. Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/t4Q5veVJ2Dij4GHK7.
   7. Parking: paid street parking on Randolph and Millenium Lakeside Garage: https://millenniumgarages.com/all-garages/millennium-lakeside-garage/ (signifcantly discounted rates if you pay in advance).
   8. Team Reach code: 337Rand
4. Grant Park (Chicago)
   1. Typical open play times: weekdays 5-10 pm; weekends probably all day.
   2. Lights: yes.
   3. Courts: 16 dedicated courts, with separators for every four courts.
   4. Racking system: three racks by level but many players still attempt to impose challenge courts.  Listen to episode 2 for a full discussion. 
   5. Level of play: 3.0 to 4.5 ish (more advanced play in evenings).
   6. Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ahP6BmtFAVPTi6jw6
   7. Parking: paid street parking on Columbus and adjacent streets and in parking garages west of MIchigan Ave.
   8. Team Reach code: PlayChicago
5. Portage Park (Chicago)
   1. Typical open play times: weekdays 8-11 am, 5-10 pm; weekends 8-11 am and maybe rest of day. 
   2. Lights: yes.
   3. Courts: four dedicated courts with separators between the two rows.
   4. Racking system: black racks by each of the four courts.
   5. Level of play: 2.75 to 3.75 ish.
   6. Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/cdCPPqi91WiPxU5o8
   7. Parking: free street parking on Berteau and free parking lot on east side of courts.
   8. Team Reach code: PPPB1234
6. Woodland Park (Park Ridge)
   1. Typical open play times: weekdays and weekends 8-11 am.
   2. Lights: no.
   3. Courts: six dedicated courts with separators between the two rows.
   4. Racking system: single consolidated rack by the waiting area.
   5. Level of play 3.0 to 4.0 ish. 
   6. Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CPJbnresnKQU3bvL6
   7. Parking: free parking lot
   8. Team Reach code: not aware of one
7. Community Playfield (Wilmette) aka “by Wilmette Jr High”
   1. Typical open play times: weekdays and weekends 8-11 am.
   2. Lights: no.
   3. Courts: six dedicated courts with separators for each court, plus two pickle courts on either side of the tennis court with nets provided by park district.
   4. Racking system: consolidated rack adjacent to the tennis court.
   5. Level of play: 3.0 to 4.25 ish.
   6. Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/n4MHc2Fbxf2pSJTY6
   7. Parking: free parking lot in summer when not in use by the junior high and free street parking on Locust Road
   8. Team Reach code: LocustJr
8. Oakton Park (Skokie)
   1. Typical open play times: weekday evenings 5-10 pm (certainly by 6 pm but sometimes by 5 pm), weekend mornings 9 am-noon and perhaps some times during rest of day.
   2. Lights: yes
   3. Courts: six dedicated courts with separators between the two rows.
   4. Racking system: consolidated rack by the waiting area outside the courts.
   5. Level of play: 3.0 to 4.0 ish.
   6. Location: https://share.google/xBegA6w8SZmCihs2W
   7. Parking: free parking lot (park in the lot off Kenton by the tennis court rather than the main lot off Oakton)
   8. Team Reach code: 060076 (TR group for Skokie but not for Oakton Park specifically)
9. James Park (Evanston)
   1. Typical open play times: weekdays and weekends, 8-10 am and 6-8 pm, with additional sessions (including advanced play) scheduled on Team Reach. This will likely evolve as the courts start getting used.
   2. Lights: yes.
   3. Courts: 15 dedicated courts, with separators, and with one wheelchair accessible court.  Nets are above regulation height. 
   4. Racking system: single rack for each court, located outside the playing area.
   5. Level of play: TBD, but there are efforts to have advanced open play sessions (see Team Reach).
   6. Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/stooar4HEqRAtFri9
   7. Parking: free street parking on Oakton (there is a free parking lot that is much farther away)
   8. Team Reach code: JPP60202
10. Closing remarks
    1. Contact info for Gina as coach: gtpicklecoach@gmail.com
    2. CRBN 10 percent discount code: use code CRBNTEN at https://www.crbnpickleball.com/CRBNTEN 
    3. Send questions and comments, including voice recordings, about the show to: thirdshotrants@gmail.com
    4. Please follow and rate our show!

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Credits:

• Hosts: Howard Chang and Gina Tsapralis
• Audio Engineer: Henry Chang