Flagstaff council approves $2.17 million contract to remake Bushmaster Park courts amid debate on trees, parking and noise

The Flagstaff City Council on Tuesday approved a $2,168,892 contract with Hope Construction to rebuild the sport courts at Bushmaster Park, adding eight dedicated pickleball courts, resurfacing two tennis courts and replacing two basketball courts.

The project will be paid from the BBB Recreation special revenue fund balance, with $100,000 contributed by Beautification Arts & Sciences for landscaping, council heard. The city will also replant trees proposed for removal and install new shrubs and site landscaping.

Why it matters: The council’s approval responds to heavy and growing community demand for pickleball courts, addresses safety problems with cracked surfaces at Bushmaster and aims to keep local players from traveling to other towns. Supporters also argued new courts could spur tournaments and bring visitors to Flagstaff; opponents warned about tree loss, nearby parking capacity and noise for adjacent neighborhoods.

City parks staff told council the project appears after multiple prior discussions and two design efforts. Amy Hagan, parks project manager, said design documents were completed after an initial design-build step and bids returned higher than expected. “We pulled the project off and created a second set of drawings,” Hagan told council, before saying the lowest responsible bidder for the preferred design was Hope Construction at $2,168,892.

Council and staff recapped the project’s history: the courts were dual-striped for pickleball in 2019, the city later added two permanent pickleball courts at Ponderosa Park, and council in 2023 gave staff direction to proceed with a courts project while limiting lighted-court hours and minimizing tree loss. Staff said construction documents completed in winter 2024 showed higher costs that prompted rework and a formal invitation to bid in April 2025.

Supporters from the local pickleball community spoke in favor during public comment. Alicia Hendricks, president of the Flagstaff Pickleball Association, said Bushmaster draws up to 40 players daily and that the current cracked surfaces create safety risks. “This project will dedicate space not only for pickleball, but also for tennis and basketball,” Hendricks said. Christine Sturgeon, a USA Pickleball district ambassador, urged council to approve construction and said regional tournaments would support local hotels and restaurants.

Opponents and concerned residents raised three consistent issues: tree removal, parking and noise. Council member Spence said Bushmaster is a forested park and argued the location is wrong for a major pickleball complex. He pointed to limited on-site parking and suggested other city-owned parcels — including a site by the National Guard armory and Foxglen Park — that he said would offer room for courts and more parking. Spence concluded he would vote no, saying the project was “the wrong place, the wrong amount, and the wrong time.”

Key technical clarifications from staff: construction will remove 13 existing trees and replace them with 13 new trees of different species and approximately 76 shrubs; lighted courts across the park system are subject to a city code change adopted in 2023 that requires lights to end by 9 p.m.; the design includes perimeter fencing of 8 feet on the north and south ends of the multi-court pickleball areas and 10-foot fencing where tennis courts are required.

Staff said the city solicited bids for two alternate designs; the low bid on the chosen design came in at $2,168,892 while the alternate contractor’s price on that same plan exceeded $3.8 million. Parks staff told council the design work was already paid for and that the current contract request covers construction only.

Council action: The council moved and seconded approval of the contract with Hope Construction and the motion passed with one recorded dissent. The council directed staff to proceed with procurement and construction scheduling.

What’s next: Staff said construction scheduling will follow procurement and permitting and that the project includes replanting and landscape elements funded in part by the Beautification Arts & Sciences contribution. Council asked staff to monitor parking and noise during design and construction; staff emphasized that no specific noise abatement measures are part of the current construction documents.

The vote capped a multi‑year public process that included petitions, community meetings and Parks and Recreation Commission review.