Lake Elmo accepts pickleball club donation of holders and benches after parks commission safety review

The Lake Elmo City Council voted to accept a donation from the Lake Elmo Pickleball Friends that includes paddle holders, beverage holders, two wooden benches and a portable court divider for the Pebble Park pickleball courts.

Background: The donation was initially considered on the consent agenda but was pulled for discussion. The Parks Commission recommended accepting the paddle and beverage holders but asked staff and the donor to discuss options for making benches and court dividers more permanent and to evaluate safety-inspection and liability issues.

Donor remarks and maintenance: Resident donor Jim Voler spoke during the public comment period, describing the benches as constructed from pressure-treated lumber with sanded edges and estimating they would "last way longer than 4 years," adding he stores half the benches in his garage out of the elements. Voler said he built the low, approximately 2-foot-high court dividers from snow fence and light framing to reduce ball carry between back-to-back courts and that he would be responsible for maintenance and repairs if items were damaged.

Staff concerns: Parks staff told the council the commission's caution focused on materials longevity and the lack of standards against which staff could inspect a privately produced bench; staff also recommended considering permanent fencing instead of temporary snow-fence style dividers to address long-term safety and liability concerns.

Council discussion and vote: Several council members said they supported accepting community-made items and expressed gratitude to the donor. After hearing from the donor and staff, the council moved to accept the full donation. The council noted that because the items have been in use this summer and the donor committed to maintain them, staff liability and maintenance obligations would be limited.

Outcome: The council approved acceptance of the donation by voice vote and directed that the donation be recorded and managed according to city policy for donated equipment.