Indian Trail approves contract, contingency transfer to build Crooked Creek pickleball courts

The Indian Trail Town Council on a unanimous vote approved a $750,000 contract with JD Goodrum General Contractors and amended the town budget to move contingency funds in order to build eight pickleball courts at Crooked Creek Park.

The project rose from public comment and earlier council approvals. Jessica Lounsbury, a resident, told the council during public comment that “pickleball is a fun, low impact sport that combines elements of tennis, ping pong, and badminton … It’s the fastest growing sport, and there’s a shortage of courts.” Multiple residents, including Charles Spaulding and Lynn Cole, also urged the town to build courts.

Todd Hunsinger, town staff member presenting the project update, said the council previously approved a $250,000 park grant and a $478,000 total project cost with a $228,000 town share. Negotiations with the selected design–build team produced higher bids. Hunsinger presented two staff options: Option 1 would have added $145,000 to the town’s share (including $40,000 contingency) and omit lighting and a shelter; Option 2 would include lighting and a shelter but require using $250,000 of the town’s contingency balance and reduce an internal contingency to $32,000.

“We could get the lighting in and we could get the shelter in, but we would have to take all that contingency of the $250,000 in this year’s budget to make that work,” Hunsinger said while describing Option 2. Council chose Option 2 and a motion by Council Member Clarence Alsabrooks approved the contract to JD Goodrum in the amount of $750,000. The council then moved $250,000 from contingency into a facilities capital line item to support the project and approved accompanying budget amendments.

Hayden (parks director) described how the courts would be operated and priced. He said the town would offer both first-come/first-served play and reservations, with fees in the range of “somewhere from the $5 to $10 range” per hour used by comparable facilities. Staff said courts would not be staffed full time; permits and an after-hours phone would be used to manage scheduling and conflicts.

Council members and staff discussed schedule and construction risks. Hunsinger warned that grading and subsurface conditions could increase costs and that lighting and shelter selections were drivers of price. Council members said they preferred to include lights so courts can be used after dark during cooler months.

Votes at the meeting: council approved (1) the JD Goodrum contract in the amount of $750,000, (2) an appropriation of $250,000 from contingency into the facilities capital line to support the project, and (3) the related budget amendments. All three motions passed unanimously.

The town’s project files show prior steps: in December the council accepted a $250,000 park grant, and on April 27 the council previously approved moving forward with a $478,000 project cost and a $228,000 town share. Staff said design–build negotiations and updated site work requirements (grading, soil, staging and curing time for court surface) produced the current cost estimate.

Work scheduling, permitting and site preparation remain. Staff said the project schedule will likely extend into the fall and winter months and that construction timelines include curing windows for the acrylic court surfaces that add to duration.

The council’s actions authorize staff to finalize contracting and begin work consistent with the approved budget transfers; staff will report progress at future council meetings.