Parks & Recreation

The Tressel Tennis Center, Cedar Boulevard in Mt. Lebanon Park, is one of the our most popular facilities.

The Recreation Department maintains a total of 15 Har-Tru tennis courts at the center, open Sunday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. from approximately May 1 through September 30.

The tennis center is operated by the non-profit organization, Indoor Tennis for Mt. Lebanon (Indoor), from October through April. Indoor court hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Court Reservations

Procedures for reserving outdoor courts are described below in the Operating Procedures. Due to the complexities of calculating fees for different combinations of members and non-members, online reservations are not possible for members/season pass holders. Members/season pass holders may make reservations over the phone or in person.

Purchasing Tennis Center Memberships/Season Passes

Tennis Center memberships/season passes are available to purchase online April 4 – May 20, 2022. Please follow the instructions and upload your photo, a driver’s license or state ID for each adult, and proof of residency (such as a utility bill) if you are a resident and your driver’s license does not reflect your current address.

Memberships may be purchased in person at the recreation center beginning April 25, 2022. In-person membership purchases require a driver’s license for each adult, and proof of residency (such as a utility bill) if you are a resident and your driver’s license does not reflect your current address.

We cannot sell a membership unless all documentation has been provided. Please review Membership Requirements before you visit the recreation center to purchase your membership.

Memberships/Season Passes are non-refundable and non-transferable. Please read all rules before purchasing.  Memberships are not valid until all documentation has been provided and the  membership is approved. No mail or phone-in applications will be accepted.

Membership Requirements

Memberships are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Read all rules before purchasing.
A Driver’s License or State ID is required for each adult on the membership.
Other documents such as a current utility bill may be required to establish residency. For example, if your driver’s license does not reflect your current address.
Children may need a school ID or birth certificate depending on the situation.
A resident child’s pass will require ID from a parent, and proof of residency.
A family pool pass may consist of a maximum of 2 adults, and any legally dependent children. All must live in the same household.
All members will need to have a new photo when a membership is purchased. New photos are required each year.
During purchase of a membership online, you must upload photos of each person on the membership.
All other documentation should be uploaded to your account prior to purchase of the membership. Memberships are not valid until all documentation has been provided and the membership is approved.
In-person membership purchases will require all family members to be present at the time of purchase. If you have uploaded valid photos and other required documents to your account in advance, then those individuals would not need to be present. We cannot sell a membership unless all documentation has been provided.
All members must follow all facility rules and regulations.

Operating Procedures

Timeslots- All timeslots on all courts are one hour long and begin at the top of the hour. There are no designations for singles or doubles courts. There is no time in between timeslots. Please be considerate of others and leave the court promptly at the end of your reservation.
Online reservations- Online reservations are encouraged for tennis courts and the hitting wall. You may make a reservation up to one week in advance by visiting mtlrec.activityreg.com. Payment is due at the time of reservation. Due to the complexities of calculating fees for different combinations of members and non-members, online reservations are not possible for members/season pass holders. Members/season pass holders may make reservations over the phone or in person. If you need assistance, please call the tennis center at (412) 343-3411.
Membership/Season Passes- Season pass holders may make an unlimited number of reservations (up to one week in advance) at no additional cost during the outdoor season. This applies only to the pass holder, not any guests/partners. Season pass holders may make reservations over the phone. The pass holder and his/her partner and/or opponent(s) must check in at the tennis center building (all together) at least 5 minutes prior to the reservation time, and make payment (if necessary) prior to going to the court. Non-passholders will be charged their portion of the fees ($5/person/hr. for doubles or $10/person/hr. for singles). As always, please be considerate of others and leave the court promptly at the end of your reservation. Playing beyond your reservation time is not permitted.
Walk up reservations- Walk up reservations are welcomed if space is available. We will accommodate walk up start times outside of the established timeslots as we are able. Fees will be rounded to the nearest 30 minutes. All ending times must conform to established timeslots, and end on the top of hour.
Fees- Court fees are $20/court/hr. There are no additional convenience fees for online reservations. The hitting wall is free!
Cancellations and Rainouts- Anyone may cancel their reservation online up to one hour prior to the start time, and a credit will be issued to the account. Beyond one hour prior to the start time, reservation fees are nonrefundable.
Pass holders who do not cancel their reservations at least one hour prior to the start time, and do not show up, will be assessed one half of the fee ($10/hr.) for the reservation.
If your reservation is rained out and you were not able to play at least half of your time (30 minutes for each hour booked) we will put a credit for the full hour ($20/hr.) on your account. If you have played for at least half of the hour, no credit will be issued.
Younger Children- Children must be at least 11 years old to play on the courts unless they are playing with a parent or guardian. Regardless of age, children must be capable of observing all the rules and regulations while at the tennis center.
Junior Tennis Clinics- Children 10 and younger must be dropped off and picked up at their designated court by a parent or guardian. Please be prompt. Children 10 and younger will not be released without a parent or guardian present. Regardless of age, children must be capable of observing all the rules and regulations while at the tennis center.
Questions? – If you have any questions, you may call the tennis center at (412) 343-3411.
All rules and policies are subject to change.

Resources

All Tennis Programs and Classes
Reserve a Court Online – May – September
Reserve a Court Online – October – April 
How to create an account, upload photos and documents and purchase a membership online.

Lessons

Tennis lessons for children and adults are taught by the recreation staff and head tennis pro Hank Hughes, throughout the year. Private lessons are available for groups, or individuals. The tennis center also has a pro shop for the sale of rackets and accessories and racket restringing.

Tournament & League Play

Please contact the tennis center for more details.

Other Municipal Courts

Municipal courts are also located at Williamsburg Park off Sleepy Hollow Road. There is no charge for use of these courts.

Pickleball Courts

Municipal Pickleball courts are located at Meadowcroft Park. Click here for more info.

Platform Tennis Courts

The Mt. Lebanon Platform Tennis Association (MLPTA) and the municipality operate as partners in the maintenance and upkeep of the hut and courts. The municipality is primarily responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the courts, such as lighting, broken snowboards and steps, etc.

The MLPTA is primarily responsible for the daily upkeep of the hut and provides shovels, brooms, a sweeper, garbage bags, cleaning supplies, paper products, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, etc. The MLPTA and the municipality share the cost of any major improvements to the courts, such as new screens and deck resurfacing.

Platform tennis, also known as paddle tennis, is thriving in Mt. Lebanon. Mt. Lebanon fields a number of teams in both the men’s and women’s Western Pennsylvania Platform Tennis Association (WPPTA) leagues. If you are interested in the game of paddle, email them for assistance. If you would like to purchase paddles or balls, they are available through the Tennis Center, located just down the walkway from the paddle courts.

What is Platform Tennis?

It has been described as “the chess game of racquet sports.” It is a unique outdoor tennis game, generally played in cold weather, that requires the patience of a tortoise combined with the speed of a hare. It is a game in which raw power is not the ultimate weapon, but finesse and accuracy are rewarded. Primarily a doubles game, teamwork between partners is also an important feature.

Platform Tennis, also known as paddle tennis, is played on a 20-foot-by-44-foot court, about one-third the size of a conventional tennis court, and is surrounded by 12-foot high “chicken wire” screens. These are located eight feet behind the base lines and five feet from the sidelines. Service lines are drawn in the same manner as tennis.

Rules of the Game

Most of the rules follow regular tennis including the scoring which is 15, 30, 40 and game. There are, however, a few major differences that make Platform Tennis a significantly different game. The first major rule difference is that there is only one serve. If the initial serve is not hit in the receiving area the server loses the point. There is no “second chance” as in tennis.

The most intriguing difference, however, is the use of the screens to keep the ball in play. Just as in tennis, a player may return a shot by either hitting it before it hits the deck or after letting it bounce one time, playing it as a ground stroke. In platform tennis, however, the player has an additional option. The ball is allowed to rebound off the screen after hitting the deck and then is hit before it hits the deck again.

Equipment

The equipment used in the game consists of a short-handled, hard surface paddle and a sponge rubber ball. The paddle has a maximum of 78 holes which is designed to reduce wind resistance and assist in placing spin on the ball. The paddle is 17 inches long and weighs 13 to 17 ounces. The ball is 2.5 inches in diameter and has a yellow “flocking” which is intended to improve its visibility and enhance the player’s control of its flight. Clothing worn by players defies description. There are no prohibitions except that a form of tennis shoe must be worn for safety and preservation of the court surface. In extremely cold weather, players are advised to use several “layers” of dress which are usually peeled off as the play warms up.

Additional Information

Platform tennis is also called paddle tennis, or just paddle, for short. For more information concerning the game of paddle, go to the American Platform Tennis Association’s website. For more information concerning paddle in the Western Pennsylvania area, go to the Western Pennsylvania Platform Tennis Association’s website. There you will find league information, match scores, local tournament information and more.

Reservations

Online Court Reservations

Fees: $16 per court, per 1.5 hours, weekdays prior to 5:30 p.m., and $20 evenings and weekends.

Courts are available for a maximum of 8 days in advance. Cancellations must be requested a minimum of 48 hours in advance except for severe weather. Cancellation requests must be emailed (no later than the day of the cancellation).  For access to lights or heaters email us or call (412) 561-4363.
No one under 21 is permitted to reserve facilities. The responsible party reserving the facility must be present at all times during the reservation.

History of Paddle Tennis in Western Pennsylvania

The Western Pennsylvania Platform Tennis Association (WPPTA) league enrollment of 68 women’s and 49 men’s teams (1,000+ members) was the third largest in the country in 2002, behind Chicago and New Jersey. Other large paddle areas include:

Baltimore
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Connecticut
Detroit
Long Island

Men’s & Women’s Leagues

The WPPTA has both men’s and women’s leagues. The area’s country clubs, racquet clubs and municipalities such as Mt. Lebanon, Upper St. Clair and North Park provide teams that participate in the league.

Men’s Divisions

The WPPTA men’s league consists of 8 divisions with 10 teams per division. Men’s matches are played either Monday, Tuesday or Thursday evenings.

Women’s Divisions

The WPPTA women’s league consists of both day and evening leagues. The women’s day league has 8 divisions, with 8 teams per division, while the women’s night league has 4 divisions, with 8 teams per division. The women’s day league matches are played on either Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday mornings and the women’s evening league matches are played on Wednesday nights. League play begins in mid-October and runs through March.