It may be the Pickleball Era, but further down the path leading toward the sleeping Berger Fountain are shuffleboard courts that date to 1939. I walk by the empty courts often, but it wasn't until last summer that I saw people actually playing shuffleboard, a regular Monday night occurrence from 7-9PM, June 1 through September, it turns out, weather permitting.

When they were first installed, the shuffleboard courts were so popular, according to the MPRB, that reservations were necessary to use them in the evening. According to James Ockuly, a member of the Loring Park Shuffleboard Club, the courts have experienced several periods of disuse since 1939. It was thanks to a Loring Park resident named Al Galazen in the 1980s, who bought up old equipment, and to the Park Board, that spruced up the courts, that the Club was established and will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2026 (there is even a Facebook page for the Club).

So if the pickleball courts are full one Monday evening this summer, you might stroll down to the shuffleboard courts to watch or better yet play. Membership is free and comes with a free lesson. The club owns its own gear so you need only be equipped with the curiosity to learn about this recreational activity that has stood the test of time. The lovely group of shuffleboard aficionados who have kept the courts alive are eager to welcome you.