FLORENCE, S.C. - Rainy weather didn't stop members of the Pee Dee Picklers Pickleball Club from dedicating six new courts Monday morning at Timrod Park.

City of Florence Tennis Director Rob Hill said in the three years that Pickleball has been in Florence, he has seen rapid growth. He said the city is very excited and enthusiastic about where the sport seems to be heading.

"And because of all that rapid growth, we know we want to try to provide facilities that can support that and foster growth," Hill said. "So we have been looking at trying to provide this facility for a little while."

The local tennis association gave Hill and others its blessing to convert three tennis courts at Timrod Park into Pickleball courts.

Hill said there was a big pot of funds put together for a project servicing some of the tennis courts, and he had hoped there would be enough money left over to build the six Pickleball courts. But after bids returned, there were not any funds left.

"But at that point, it had looked like we were just going to have to put it (the Pickleball courts project) on hold until some funds became available," Hill said.

A short while later, an anonymous donor from the Pickleball community said he would fund the project. And the City of Florence, Pee Dee Picklers and the Falcone-Ricken family all chipped in to provide changover stations, or covered seating, to be placed on the courts.

Michael and Phylis Falcone both play Pickleball in Florence. Phylis Falcone said their daughter, Julie Falcone Ricken, was responsible for donating covered seating at the park on behalf of the family. This year, instead of giving to her son's high school as she normally does, Phylis Falcone said Julie Falcone Ricken decided to give to the community.

"She liked that this is giving us something in our age to look forward to every day if we want to," Phylis Falcone said. "She was here for 10 days at Thanksgiving and played every day. That's how she got involved."

When the Pee Dee Picklers first started in Florence, Phylis Falcone said club members would play at the Barnes Street gym in Florence.

"They take the basketball courts and tape two (Pickleball) courts," Phylis Falcone said. "As the club gets bigger, it takes longer and longer to wait."

Players would have to take turns using the taped courts at the Barnes Street gym, which could take a while because of the high demand.

Now, people who have an interest in Pickleball have more options for playing the sport in Florence. And Phylis Falcone said having the new courts at Timrod Park allows for people to play Pickleball any day of the week, including nights. Because of the renovations, there are 30 to 40 people playing Pickleball in Florence four to five days per week.

Buddy Dawkins, the Pee Dee Picklers' secretary, said the club is approaching 140 members.

"I see nothing but a big future for us," Dawkins said.

A new sign has been placed at the courts at Timrod Park in memory of Joseph Eugene "Gene" Brown Jr., the brother of the project's donor.