Parma Heights has reopened its newly resurfaced tennis and pickleball courts at Greenbrier Commons, and residents wasted no time putting them to use. The $236,320 project converted five tennis courts down to three while adding a fourth dedicated pickleball court, and the courts have seen what officials describe as nonstop action since opening in summer 2026.
The demand has been so intense that at one point 12 people were waiting for a turn on the pickleball courts, according to Cleveland.com. Parma Heights councilman Michael Sedlak captured the mood surrounding the project, saying the courts are in demand and that Parma Heights is ready and open for business, per the same report. The project was partly bankrolled by a $50,000 grant from Cuyahoga County's Community Development Supplemental Grant program; County Council approved Resolution R2026-0063 in late March 2026, but that resolution did not award the court grant.
That Cuyahoga County grant program isn't unlimited — $1.5 million was allocated for the 2026 program to award 30 grants, and community development corporations may apply alongside municipalities, with any single award capped at $50,000 and no local match required, according to the City of Shaker Heights. That cap is part of why Parma Heights needed the fencing to wait for a second round of funding rather than folding it into the initial project.
Fencing Delay Traces Back to 2024 Tornado
New perimeter fencing still needs to be installed at the Greenbrier Commons courts, and city officials say that gap is tied to tornado damage suffered a couple of years ago, the outlet's report notes. A tornado track crossed Brook Park, Parma Heights, and Parma on August 6, 2024, causing severe tree destruction and utility pole damage across the area, according to the National Weather Service.
To close that gap, Parma Heights City Council passed Resolution No. 2026-63 on July 29, 2026, authorizing the city administration to apply for up to $50,000 from the county's 2027 Community Development Supplemental Grant Program specifically to fund new court fencing, according to City of Parma Heights council records. The city hopes to apply for those same CDSG funds to cover the new fencing, and the service department plans to install it once secured, per the report. Beyond fencing, Parma Heights plans to add trash receptacles, benches, and water fountains to round out the courts area.
Part of a Larger Greenbrier Commons Overhaul
The court project traces back to July 2025, when Parma Heights City Council enacted Ordinance 2025-54, which covered the project and bidding. Parma Heights City Council President Tom Rounds said the resurfaced amenity opened in time for the fall season, and city leaders framed the project as part of a broader push. The mayor and city council have prioritized enhancing living in Parma Heights and providing residents with the amenities they want, according to the report.
The courts sit within Greenbrier Commons, which serves as Parma Heights' central civic and recreational campus, tying together a community theater, a Cuyahoga County Public Library branch, a municipal swimming pool, and Metroparks acreage, according to Case Western Reserve University. The complex has seen a wave of other changes recently. In June 2026 the city opened a separate $150,000 ADA-compliant playground next to the court area, funded in part by an Ohio Department of Natural Resources NatureWorks grant, and the update is reflected in an updated playground at the site, according to the Parma Observer. In May 2026, the city also demolished its former 1963 round library building near Greenbrier Commons after replacement costs exceeded $1 million, clearing the way for updated civic facilities in the complex, according to Propped Productions.
A National Pickleball Surge Hits Home
The crowds at Greenbrier Commons reflect a trend playing out nationwide. Pickleball participation expanded to 24.3 million players in 2025, a 22.8% annual increase and a 171.8% surge over three years, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association's 2026 Single Sport Report. Teenagers and young adults aged 13 to 24 posted the highest participation rate of any age group in 2025, the association also found.
Pickleball's national growth coincides with Parma Heights' conversion of court space from tennis to pickleball, and the new courts have already drawn crowds waiting for a turn. With resurfacing complete and pavement freshly laid across Greenbrier Commons, city officials now turn their attention to the fencing, benches, and fountains still on the punch list — improvements that hinge on whether the 2027 county grant comes through.
