Hinsdale IL , Four new public courts are very close to being completed in Hinsdale IL,  financed in part by local area paddle fanatics. The country's top paddle players will be in Hinsdale to help us celebrate the grand opening of our new 4-court facility at Katherine Legge Memorial Park.  September 23rd 24th and 25th. view details of the KLM Grand Opening 1.2MB Download Viking Academy program

Village of Hinsdale Municipal Paddle
Hinsdale built its first two paddle courts in 1988 at a neighborhood park called Burns Field. A local family donated the courts and over the next decade hundreds of residents became hooked on the game. The women’s national champion for 2003 and 2004, Mary Doten, learned to play paddle on the Burns Field courts.

Private / Public Cooperation
One of the success stories of the project is how we raised enough money to build an appropriate facility. The Village of Hinsdale’s budget at $347,000 turned out to be quite short of what was needed. 90 local families and businesses made up the shortfall, contributing a total of $170,000 or one-third of the project cost. The architects, working pro bono (and neither of them are paddle players), got the project off the ground rapidly and before the village committed to spending any money.

Growing the Sport
For paddle enthusiasts, having 6 public courts in a village of fewer than 18,000 people will be a huge impetus for growth. In going from 2 to 6 courts, Hinsdale knows that it needs time and lots of effort to create appropriate programs. Upon opening the new facility, Hinsdale will host the Viking Academy for three days. Three local pros, including Mary Doten, will be offering group lessons. The number of teams entered in the Chicago League will grow from 8 to 10. All in all, the new season looks like it's shaping up to be an even more exciting year of campaigning, fundraising, and construction.

Download Viking Academy program

The Setting at Katherine Legge Memorial Park
The new facility is located in Katherine Legge Memorial Park, a 52 acre woodland setting that Hinsdale residents frequent for picnics, weddings, cross-country skiing, and just to walk the dog. Alexander Legge was President of International Harvester. He and his wife, Katherine, originally developed the property as a weekend escape. Their ultimate plan included the construction of a home on the site. Upon the death of Katherine in 1924, Alexander established KLM as a retreat devoted to rest, recreation and welfare for women employed at International Harvester. The land and facilities were donated to the Village of Hinsdale in 1973.