Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge a collaborative plan as Oak Harbor weighs converting tennis courts to pickleball
Summary
Multiple residents urged council to avoid hasty conversion of public tennis courts to pickleball courts, asking instead for collaborative funding and site-expansion options; staff said they are reviewing options and will return to council in a few weeks.
Residents and players asked Oak Harbor City Council on Feb. 17 to seek collaborative, long-term solutions rather than quickly converting existing public tennis courts to pickleball courts.
Carol Johnston and Sharon Jensen, both tennis players, said converting a court at Sumner Park would leave too few tennis courts available and create noise and play conflicts. David Mac LaRoy, who plays both sports, outlined three options discussed at a recent workshop: temporary courts at multiple locations, replacing one tennis court with multiple pickleball courts, or collaborating with the school district to expand the Rotary Park slab by roughly 15 feet to add more courts.
“I’m encouraging you to consider other options… we’re avid tennis players,” Johnston said, asking the council to avoid removing courts that tennis players rely on. Mac LaRoy asked operational questions about temporary courts — storage for nets, who holds keys and whether fees would apply — and proposed combining city and school resources to create a larger, shared slab that could accommodate more courts.
Mayor Wright said staff will meet this week to review options, budget implications and other factors and will bring proposals back to council in a couple of weeks. No formal decision was made; council directed staff to continue collaboration with the school district and community stakeholders.
Next steps: staff review and a council follow-up meeting in the coming weeks to present options and funding scenarios.
