UMATILLA, Ore.-A Wildhorse Foundation Grant will help the City of Umatilla complete its McNary Pickleball Courts project.
The City plans to convert the aging tennis courts that require significant rehabilitation in the McNary neighborhood into pickleball courts.
“This project is especially meaningful to me because I remember these courts being here when I moved to McNary in 1995,” said Esmeralda Perches, Umatilla’s Parks and Recreation Director. “They have been a part of this neighborhood for a long time, and they are ready for a major facelift.”
According to the City of Umatilla, transforming the space will preserve an existing recreational asset while creating new opportunities for multigenerational recreation, providing a welcoming place for children, adults, and seniors to be active, connect, and enjoy their community.
The Wildhorse Foundation is a community fund managed by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in partnership with Wildhorse Resort & Casino that makes grants available to eligible nonprofit, government, and Tribal organizations within the homeland area of the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla people.
A total of 29 organizations throughout Northeast Oregon and Southeast Washington received Wildhorse Foundation grants ranging from $3,000 to $30,000, in the second quarter of 2026.
The City of Umatilla received a $30,000 grant for the pickleball courts.
“This grant gives us the opportunity to breathe new life into an aging recreational space and create something that can bring multiple generations together,” said Perches. “We are excited to see this area become active again and provide another place for our community to recreate, connect, and have fun.”
More information on Wildhorse Foundation grants, including how to apply, is available online.
