For years, Friends of Payson Park has advocated for improved lighting at the tennis courts to extend playing hours and make the space safer and more accessible. Now, thanks to a grant from the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) and support from Portland Parks & Recreation, that vision is becoming a reality!
What’s Happening?
MUSCO, a company specializing in high-quality sports lighting, is mobilizing to install new lights at the Payson Park tennis courts. These will be a major upgrade from the existing lights, utilizing advanced technology to minimize glare and prevent unnecessary light spill into surrounding areas. If you’ve seen the basketball court lighting at Fox Field, you’ve already witnessed how effective this technology can be—keeping the courts well-lit while leaving the surrounding space dark.
Why Does This Matter?
Many community members have expressed that limited evening lighting at the tennis courts makes it difficult to use them outside of peak daytime hours, particularly in the shorter days of spring and fall.
This project aims to:
✅ Improve safety for players in the evening
✅ Extend court usability beyond daylight hours
✅ Reduce light pollution with targeted illumination
✅ Encourage more community engagement in the park
A Big Win for Payson Park
Bringing high-quality lighting to the tennis courts has been a long time coming, and we’re excited to see this investment in public recreation spaces. Friends of Payson Park extends a huge thank you to the City of Portland, USTA, and all those who have supported this effort over the years.
We’ll share updates as the installation progresses. In the meantime, we’d love to hear from you! How will this lighting upgrade impact your time at Payson Park? Let us know at friendsofpaysonpark@gmail.com.
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