BEND, Ore. -- About 50 members of the Bend Pickleball Club gathered Thursday with Bend Park & Recreation District staff and board members to celebrate the completion of eight new courts at Pine Nursery Park.

The new courts bring the total to 24 pickleball courts constructed since 2012.

The courts have been named the Zehnder Pickleball Complex in honor of Werner and Susan Zehnder, longtime pickleball club members and financial contributors to each of the three phases of court development.

At the event, Susan Zehnder spoke about her late husband, along with other speakers including Kirk Foster, Bend Pickleball Club president, Matt Mercer, retired BPRD recreation services director, and Cary Schneider, chair of the BPRD board of directors.

With the addition of eight new courts, the park district has doubled the number of courts for drop-in public use at all times.