Dolly Cooper Park to Dedicate New Pickleball Courts
Observer Reports
At 10 a.m. Friday, Anderson County will cut another ribbon at M.J. “Dolly” Cooper Park in Powdersville, to debut eight new pickleball courts, lights for evening play, seats for spectators, and the the promise of more to come.
The project marks the latest chapter in the remaking of Dolly Cooper Park, the northernmost park in the Anderson County system. Once a property filled with scrub pines and weeds and positioned along the Saluda River, the park has become a gathering place for Powdersville families, ballplayers, walkers, paddlers, and the steadily expanding population of people who have learned that pickleball, a sport with the dimensions of a small court and the social energy of a block party, can occupy an afternoon, a league schedule, or, if one is not careful, an entire retirement plan.
The new courts are designed for more than casual play. County officials say the eight-court complex includes dedicated lighting, allowing games to continue after sunset, and spectator seating intended to accommodate tournaments, leagues, and the informal but no less serious rivalries of recreational competition. The county received a $573,151 state grant in 2024 for the project, after local residents had pressed for more pickleball facilities in Powdersville and surrounding communities.
The improvements have extended beyond the courts. The completed work includes new parking-lot lighting, a four-stall restroom building, ADA-accessible sidewalks and pedestrian connections, and utility upgrades intended to serve the current facilities while leaving room for further expansion.
Jimmy Davis, the Anderson County councilman for District 6, said the project as an investment in quality of life and in a park that has long functioned as a meeting place for local families. State Sen. Richard Cash, who sponsored the grant, said the additions reflect a commitment to healthy lifestyles and to giving Anderson County residents stronger recreational options.
Dolly Cooper Park has been evolving in phases. In 2024, the county opened a $500,000 fenced playground with cushioned safety surfacing, shade structures, a picnic shelter, and security cameras powered by solar energy. The park already included athletic fields, disc golf, walking paths, and access to the Saluda River, while its broader master plan calls for additional multipurpose fields and further recreation amenities.
The river remains the park’s defining asset. Dolly Cooper has served as a launching point for the annual Saluda River Rally, and recent improvements have connected it with Piedmont Riverfront Park through river access and River Road. In June, paddlers used the route for a nine-mile trip supporting Special Olympics Area 14, a reminder that a county park can be at once a ball field, a playground, a trailhead, and a small portal into the landscape beyond it.
For now, the invitation is simple. On Friday, residents are encouraged to come to the park, watch officials cut a ribbon, and inspect the eight blue-and-green rectangles that will soon become a destination for league play, family outings, tournament brackets, and the occasional dispute over whether that last shot caught the line.
