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Oak Ridge council approves $10,000 design contract for Heritage Farm Park phase 2 amid debate over tennis vs. pickleball
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Summary
Council approved a $10,000 contract with McGill Associates to design phase 2 of Heritage Farm Park and adopt the town’s 2025–26 capital improvement plan; councilmembers debated the need for a community survey, costs and whether to prioritize tennis or pickleball courts.
The Town of Oak Ridge Town Council voted to approve a proposal from McGill Associates to prepare a conceptual design and needs survey for Phase 2 of Heritage Farm Park, awarding the firm a $10,000 lump-sum design contract expected to be completed in 90 days.
Council also adopted the town’s 2025–26 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) at the same meeting. Councilmembers discussed how phase 2 of Heritage Farm Park—identified in prior master plans to include courts and other recreation facilities—should proceed amid limited funds and differing resident priorities.
Why it matters: Phase 2 design will determine the configuration and estimated costs of courts and other amenities, and the design will be used to seek grants and to inform budget and borrowing decisions. Several councilmembers said they wanted a design before committing to construction funding; others urged faster action to meet public interest in pickleball.
What the council approved: Bill Bruce, town staff, described the McGill scope as including a site assessment, a community recreation-needs survey, a stakeholder design workshop and a final conceptual design with cost estimates. Councilmember Stone and others said the design will answer outstanding questions about whether to provide tennis courts, pickleball courts or both, appropriate surfacing, drainage and noise-mitigation. Councilmember Snyder urged the council to withhold larger spending decisions until the design and reliable cost estimates are available. The motion to approve the McGill proposal passed by voice vote; council then approved the CIP document for 2025–26.
Cost and schedule: The design contract is $10,000 with a 90-day scope. Council members noted that construction costs could be hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars depending on the final layout; funding for the phase remains to be identified and could require grants or borrowing. Bruce said the design will be more detailed than a schematic but will not be sufficient alone to put the project out to construction bid; further engineering would be required if council decides to proceed beyond the conceptual stage.
Community input and concerns: Councilmembers and residents raised noise concerns associated with pickleball and worried about prior courts that required expensive repairs when not built to appropriate standards. Some residents and commenters encouraged quick action to provide courts for older residents; others urged patience to ensure durability and to avoid future renovation costs.
Ending: Council authorized the McGill Associates design contract and approved the CIP. Staff will return with the design outcomes and cost estimates that council members said are needed before committing to construction funding.
