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Residents push to replace dilapidated Westwood Park court; staff outlines costs, timeline
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Summary
Neighbors told the Blaine Park Advisory Board they rely on the aging Westwood Park tennis/basketball court and urged replacement with a dual tennis/pickleball court plus a half basketball court. City staff outlined past spending, cost ranges and a process to price projects for the 2027 CIP.
At a March 24 meeting of the City of Blaine Park Advisory Board, residents pressed the board to replace the deteriorating Westwood Park court and keep playing options for both ball and racket sports.
Roseanne Olsen, who lives at 8815 Tyler Street, told the board the court is used nearly every day by families and said, “My kids learn to ride their bikes at that court because it’s the safest place.” Laura McCord, who lives at 8739 Abel Street, said newer, younger families are moving into the neighborhood and that neighbors improvise pickleball lines despite the court’s divots.
Jerome, a parks staff member, said the court likely dates to about 1968–69 and was crack-sealed and repainted in 2015 but has since developed potholes and thin asphalt that make full replacement likely. He gave recent project cost examples: a dual tennis/pickleball overlay has run about $160,000–$175,000, while a combined project with a full-size basketball court built side-by-side previously cost about $260,000–$275,000. Jerome cautioned that prices in future budget cycles should include an inflation contingency and that soil conditions could require corrective work.
Board members and residents discussed layout options intended to reduce impacts on nearby homes, including orienting new courts north–south to limit sun glare, installing a half basketball court adjacent to a new dual tennis/pickleball surface, and preserving open green space for informal play. Several residents noted overhead power lines across part of the park that Connexus plans to bury; Jerome said utility work could affect siting decisions and should be considered in planning.
Jerome said the parks and trails CIP currently spreads roughly $650,000 a year across trails, courts and shelters, and that many older parks compete for the same funding. He asked the board for a recommendation so staff could obtain up-to-date price estimates and, if appropriate, include the project in the 2027 CIP. Jerome told the chair that Westwood Park will be included in the board’s June site tour so members can evaluate options in person.
The board did not take a formal vote on a specific replacement plan; instead members asked staff to price out a dual tennis/pickleball court, estimates for a half and full basketball court, and costs for a concrete slab or shelter so the board can make a recommendation for budgeting in 2027.
