Patriot Park adds sand volleyball court

When city leadership began making plans to renovate West Homewood with the new pool and athletic complex, the idea to install a volleyball court was in a few conversations. The idea got cut as the renovations panned out.

Will Hardin, who is working on his Eagle Scout project, is bringing this idea back to fruition.

The sand volleyball court is to be located in Patriot Park and will be open to anyone.

“I definitely think it will get used,” said Matt Collins from the Homewood Parks and Recreation department. “There’s definitely plenty of people who walk over from the surrounding areas. … I know plenty of people choose to picnic there or have their small group there. So now it can be incorporated into those things, like, ‘We’re going to go have a picnic and play beach volleyball.’”

The project was initially to begin in spring 2020, but plans were put on hold when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Hardin began work on the volleyball court in September.

“It’s become a big project, and Will has had to raise a lot of money for it,” Collins said. “Listening to him talk to people, other families have been really receptive in terms of something added to the park.”

The volleyball court net was installed Nov. 5, completing the project. Patriot Park is located at 710 Oak Grove Road.