HADLEY — Approvals from the Select Board and School Committee to use a portion of land along Route 9 next to Hopkins Academy could set the stage for the construction of up to four outdoor pickleball courts and a full-size basketball court.

While it’s uncertain when the outdoor Hadley Pickleball & Recreation Center might proceed, representatives from the Hadley Park and Recreation department are getting the project lined up in advance of a possible funding request to the Community Preservation Act Committee.

Both committees recently gave the OK for Park and Recreation to develop the site at 131 Russell St., situated on greenspace between Hopkins and the former Russell School building, close to where the former Hopkins gymnasium was situated before being demolished in 2010.

Park and Recreation Committee Chairman Jim Shea told the Select Board on Wednesday that the only other place for children play basketball outdoors is at Hadley Elementary School, and back in the day many children would get to use the old gym.

“I think this would be a great use of this space for both seniors (and children),” Shea said. “The pickleball craze has really hit everywhere around here.”

Currently, 40 to 70 people sign up to play pickleball games at the elementary school gym each Monday night.

The estimated cost provided to the Select Board for a facility measuring 110 feet by 120 feet would be $323,630 for the Sport Court tile court surface, fences and other improvements.

Park and Recreation Director Amy Jennings said any decisions on this complex would come after planning is complete for the Hopkins Academy geothermal project, ensuring that isn’t impacted.

“We hope to have the project move as quickly as possible, working alongside and with the School Committee, and to have the people of Hadley have a beautiful recreation center outdoors to enjoy in the future,” Jennings said.

Jennings said the approvals to get the project off the ground are a fantastic start.

Shea said during his time on the committee, the focus has been making sure there are plenty of activities for children in town.

“This is something we’re trying to do to reach the older kids, and then the adults and seniors,” Shea said.

Shea said it would be something for all the community, including Hopkins Academy physical education classes, and there would also be an option to create an ice skating rink, though he would caution against playing ice hockey on it.

“We could potentially use this for four seasons,” Shea said.

In preparing for the presentation, Jennings said she and committee members toured the pickleball courts at Buttery Brook Park in South Hadley and Nonotuck Park in Easthampton to learn more, and also saw firsthand the surface of the new pickleball courts under construction since last fall at Ray Ellerbook Field in Northampton.

Shea said the price quote includes solar lights, so pickleball and hoops could be played in the evening, but there could also be the opportunity to run electrical service from the gazebo that houses the Russell School bell.

While he supports the concept, Select Board member Randy Izer said his question will be how to limit the courts to residents, with voters possibly uncomfortable giving CPA money toward a project used by the region.

“I’m just concerned we get overrun with nonresidents and then the residents are upset we spent all this money, and we can’t use it,” Izer said.

But Shea said Hadley residents are already heading out of town and there are those who play pickleball throughout the area.

“There’s a traveling league of people,” Shea said.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.