Arlington hires Kimley Horn to design convertible tennis/pickleball complex; Board approves unanimously

The Arlington Board of Mayor and Aldermen unanimously approved Resolution 2025-41 on Sept. 2, 2025, authorizing Mayor Mike Wissman to enter a professional services agreement with Kimley Horn for design work on a Tennis Complex with a planned pickleball expansion.

Town Administrator Cathy Durant said Kimley Horn, which prepared the town's Parks Master Plan and was working on a Master Development Plan for town-owned properties, will design courts so they can be converted to tennis courts if pickleball demand declines. Vice Mayor Harry McKee emphasized the project is not tied to a grant and urged that the design move forward quickly. Alderman Jeremy Biggs said he had researched other communities and that "fourteen seems like a lot," reporting feedback from a tennis player that long wait times keep tennis players away; he asked that some courts be built as tennis initially. Durant replied that building all courts at once is more cost-effective and that staff would forward revisions to the Board as they become available; she added that courts would be public, not reserved.

Why it matters: The agreement funds design work that will shape park facilities and public recreation options in Arlington. The convertible design aims to balance current pickleball demand with the option to restore tennis capacity if usage patterns change. The Board approved the professional services agreement without recorded opposition and did not attach a grant or external funding condition at the meeting.

Next steps: Kimley Horn will proceed with the design work prioritized by staff; Durant indicated staff would share revised plans with the Board. The Board took formal action at the meeting to authorize the Mayor to enter the agreement.