Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Plan Commission adds $190,000 for McDonough Park pickleball surfacing to outdoor-recreation plan
Summary
After public comments from pickleball players and a staff commitment, the Eau Claire Plan Commission amended the draft Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan to identify $190,000 for resurfacing McDonough Park courts and approved the plan for recommendation to City Council.
The Eau Claire Plan Commission voted unanimously Aug. 18 to amend the city’s draft Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (CORP) to list $190,000 for reconstruction and resurfacing of the pickleball courts at McDonough Park and then recommended the plan for adoption.
The amendment followed public comments by members of the Chippewa Valley Pickleball Club and an acknowledgement from city staff that the need was missed in the current draft.
“We were surprised to see that there is no allocation at all for any repairs … until 02/1930. And I can tell you that the courts won't last that long,” said Scott Nicastro, who identified himself as a member of the Chippewa Valley Pickleball Club. “So we're asking that you reevaluate that and to include a $190,000 funding for the pickleball court surface at McDonough Park.”
City Community Services Director Lane Berg told commissioners staff supports the request and will work with the consultant, Ayers Associates, to add the project to the CORP so it becomes eligible for grant consideration. “We acknowledge the need for this and do support it as city staff,” Berg said.
The commission debated the CORP more broadly before adopting it. Consultants reported on more than a year of engagement and park assessments and recommended priorities for maintenance, trail connections and staffing. Commissioners and staff emphasized that the CORP is a living planning document that can be amended and that listing an item in the CORP helps the city compete for grant funding.
The amendment specifically directs staff to add the McDonough Park resurfacing project and the $190,000 estimate to the CORP project list so the city can pursue capital funding and grant opportunities. The commission voted 7–0 to adopt the CORP with the McDonough amendment and forward it to City Council for final action.
Next steps: staff said the city will pursue grant and CIP (capital improvement program) options and coordinate the timing and technical scope with the pickleball club.
The CORP adoption also contains systemwide recommendations related to staffing and deferred maintenance, and the plan document will remain open to future amendments as projects and funding opportunities arise.
