Levan wins CDBG support for covered pickleball court; residents voice support at public hearing

Levan town officials announced they were awarded a Community Development Block Grant to build a covered, regulation pickleball court and held a public hearing where residents expressed support for the project. A motion to close the hearing passed.

The town official leading the meeting said, "we were successful this year in obtaining a grant to build a pickleball court," and described the planned facility as a regulation court with a rubber mat and roof located just south of the park bathrooms. The official said the town will contribute roughly 21% of the project cost while the remainder will come from grant funds and that the grant award will not be funded until July 1.

Why it matters: the project adds covered, year-round recreational space and is intended to concentrate adult activity near the splash pad to increase supervision and safety for children. The hearing included technical and timing details that affect when construction can start: environmental review items, bid solicitation (RFP) and coordination with a separate ballpark project.

Cost and schedule details were discussed on the record. One resident summarized the award as, "It's like 49,000. It's basically a 150,000. And we're paying 21% of that, I think." The town official confirmed the town will prepare bids and engineering work but said federal grant rules require certain steps and that funding is anticipated to be available starting July 1. The official also explained the ballpark area was leveled and placed on hold pending a state grant; if that state grant does not come through, the town said it would use other funds and proceed with the ball diamond work.

During public comment, Linda Hanks, introduced herself as the founder of Scowdown, said she was "in full support" and welcomed the design details. Other residents said they expect high use—suggesting tournaments, sign-up sheets or access controls—and raised the idea of adding multi-sport or tennis courts in the future. One speaker noted a tennis court could cost about $200,000 currently, a reason town officials gave for selecting the pickleball option now.

Speakers also discussed site logistics: sprinkler lines and trees near the proposed area, proximity to the baseball outfield and the splash pad, and the need to ensure the court is set back and engineered appropriately to avoid safety issues. A resident described the procurement and environmental review steps required by the grant, including distance-from-highway and flood-plan considerations, and said engineers and contractors will refine the final location once bids are solicited.

Procedural outcome: a resident moved to close the public hearing, another participant seconded the motion; the official called for a vote, participants said "Aye," and the motion carried, officially closing the hearing. The town said it will continue with engineering, bidding and scheduling so construction can begin once funds are released.

The town did not provide exact firm start or completion dates; officials and residents repeatedly described scheduling as contingent on grant funding, contractor availability and required environmental reviews.