Temporary Alternating Court Closures at Gilchrist Park Pickleball Courts

Punta Gorda carried out a short maintenance operation at Gilchrist Park pickleball courts on January 6-7, 2026, closing courts one at a time to implement temporary stabilization and safety measures before a later full resurfacing project. The Department of Public Works organized the work to keep portions of the facility open while crews addressed localized issues that affect playability and player safety.

The alternating-court schedule meant players could still find courts during the two-day effort, though availability varied throughout each day as crews moved from court to court. Signage and onsite direction guided users to open courts and off-limits areas during the repairs. The City’s advisory posted January 5, 2026 asked for public patience during the short-term closures and provided a Public Works contact phone number for questions and updates.

For local players and leagues, the short closure approach limited disruption compared with a full-court shutdown and kept regular programming closer to normal. However, organizers should expect intermittent court loss when short-term maintenance is underway, and plan practices and drop-in sessions with flexibility. Players arriving for casual play should check for posted notices at the park, allow extra time for warmups if courts are limited, and follow any directions from City staff or signage to avoid interfering with crews.

The temporary repairs are intended to stabilize and improve safety before the courts receive full resurfacing at a later date. That staged approach helps extend the usable life of the courts and reduces the risk of abrupt cancellations for larger community events. Maintaining safe surfaces also protects players from fall-related injuries and keeps local competitions fair and consistent.

While the City did not announce a firm date for full resurfacing as part of this advisory, the short-term work completed January 6-7 was designed specifically to bridge the gap until that larger project can proceed. For the most current information, players and organizers should contact Punta Gorda Public Works using the phone number provided in the advisory and monitor posted notices at Gilchrist Park.