Oak Harbor council directs staff to pursue temporary and Sumner Park pickleball options while pursuing eight‑court facility grant
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Summary
Parks director Brian Smith presented three options: temporary mobile nets (~$6,500), resurfacing one Sumner Park tennis court into four permanent pickleball courts (~$61,000), or building an eight‑court facility (~$749,000) with an anticipated $500,000 RCO grant. Council asked for usage data and asked staff to return with refined cost/drawings.
Brian Smith, Oak Harbor parks and recreation director, told the city council workshop the community has repeatedly prioritized adding pickleball courts and presented three paths forward: low‑cost temporary courts, a moderate resurfacing to add four permanent courts at Sumner Park, or construction of a dedicated eight‑court complex at Fort Nugent.
Smith said the temporary approach would use mobile nets and chalking (the department estimated about $6,500 and storage sheds for nets), allowing immediate play while minimizing capital expense. The Sumner Park conversion would resurface one tennis court and install permanent pickleball posts and striping for about $61,000, while the fully built eight‑court facility was estimated at $749,000 — a design for which staff said plans are 100% complete and a $500,000 Recreation Conservation Office (RCO) grant would cover a major portion of the cost if awarded.
Why it matters: Residents and users have submitted more than 30 public comments, and council members said demand is high; some tennis and basketball advocates said conversions would harm existing play. Smith acknowledged the tradeoffs: dual‑purpose court striping can create confusion and “residue” from taped lines harms tennis play, while temporary nets are “better than nothing” but inferior to permanent courts.
Council members focused on how to measure usage before removing existing play options. The parks director noted tools including trail‑counters, short observational counts and cell‑data products such as DataFi to estimate visits and activity, but said seasonal variability and attribution challenges remain. Members discussed options to partner with schools for shared use, staged budgeting for capital projects, and reassigning existing REET II or other park funds.
What the council directed: The mayor summarized general consensus that staff should try to make option 1 (temporary courts at Fort Nugent and Sumner) and option 2 (Sumner resurfacing/dual‑use) work within the next year to deliver up to six courts quickly while continuing to pursue the eight‑court grant‑funded facility. Staff will return to the next workshop with revised drawings and budget swaps or options for council consideration.
The workshop did not include a formal vote; the item was discussed for direction and follow‑up.
