Oak Harbor parks panel forwards temporary and Sumner conversion options for pickleball courts to council

The Oak Harbor Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission voted to forward two options to City Council for addressing a growing demand for pickleball courts: (1) a low-cost temporary approach installing stenciled court lines and portable nets at Sumner Park and Fort Nugent, or (2) a permanent conversion at Sumner Park that would resurface the area and create four dedicated pickleball courts while preserving one permanent tennis court.

Brandon, parks staff, presented detailed cost estimates and layouts. He said Sumner resurfacing with permanent pickleball courts was estimated in the neighborhood of $50,800–$61,000 depending on configuration and net/fence choices, and that a Fort Nugent resurfacing base bid appeared at roughly $21,000 before fencing and other site work were added. Brandon told commissioners, “we could do temporary nets and stenciled lines without a council appropriation, or we can bring a capital project request for a resurfacing and permanent posts.”

Commission discussion focused on trade-offs. Supporters of the temporary option argued it would quickly increase court volume without sacrificing existing amenities — for example allowing basketball and tennis to coexist at sites where portable nets are used — and that the city could repurpose portable equipment for programming. Commissioner Kim Ford said the motion he made was to “ask council to consider either temporary courts at two sites or permanent Sumner courts as proposed by staff,” and the commission voted to send those two options to City Council; the chair recorded the tally as “That passes, 5 2 1.”

Opponents and neighbors raised capacity, parking and neighborhood impacts. Councilmember Barbara Arms cautioned that Sumner is a pocket park adjacent to homes and Regatta Drive traffic and argued the commission should weigh parking and residential impacts before endorsing a permanent conversion. Finance Director Dave Goldman briefed the group on timing for funding: the biennial budget process for 2027–28 will be the venue for capital project prioritization, and any large project or grant match would require council appropriation.

Commissioners ultimately reached practical consensus: pursue a temporary, city-administered solution (portable nets, stenciled lines, equipment that can be repurposed) as the first choice to expand capacity quickly; if a permanent investment is sought, present the Sumner conversion and its cost estimates to council as a clearly scoped capital request with funding options. Staff was asked to bring both options, including refined costs and a proposed funding approach, to City Council for consideration in the next budget cycle or sooner if reallocation is possible.

Next steps: staff will refine cost and funding details, prepare materials for City Council, and pursue short-term options that can be implemented administratively while the commission continues to advocate for a larger, shovel‑ready 8‑court complex in concert with grant searches and fundraising.