Parks board recommends City Park plan that pairs new pickleball courts with replacement basketball courts

The Parks and Tree Advisory Board unanimously voted to recommend that city council approve staff’s alternative plan to build pickleball courts at City Park on the footprint of the existing basketball courts and construct new basketball courts north of that site. The recommendation followed a three-week online survey and a public hearing.

Jennifer Ward, who presented the plan, told the board staff had paired this proposal with the year’s capital work to “rehabilitate the basketball courts at City Park” and had explored placing pickleball courts over the current basketball footprint while moving basketball courts to a nearby location. Support services supervisor Michael Pierce said staff adjusted the site plan to add parking and meet court-dimension minimums: “So we have 24 parking spaces within the parking lot itself,” he said, and noted additional on-street and adjacent spots.

Staff explained sequencing would prioritize returning basketball courts quickly because concrete work can proceed in colder months, while acrylic pickleball surfacing requires warmer temperatures and additional waiting time. Jennifer Ward summarized public input: the online survey drew 192 respondents with mixed views; some respondents emphasized cost savings for the combined approach while others opposed adding pickleball courts as an unnecessary new amenity. Ward told the board the pickleball courts would be financed from parks system development charges (SDCs), while replacement basketball courts are covered by general-fund capital dollars.

At the public hearing, a pickleball club representative said the group had worked with the city for years and urged properly sized courts rather than more but undersized courts, calling the plan a positive step for both senior recreation and younger players. After member discussion about restoring basketball access and accommodating pickleball, one member moved that the board recommend the alternative proposal to city council; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

Next steps: staff will forward the board’s recommendation to city council for final approval; construction sequencing and exact schedule will depend on council action, procurement and seasonal surfacing constraints.