This item is provided as an opportunity to update the Town Council on the design for the reconstruction of Tennis Court #1 located in Prather Park. As discussed during the February 7, 2023, Town Council Study Session, the Hackberry Creek Project calls for reconstruction of Tennis Court #1. During initial conversations regarding the tennis court design, it was discussed to potentially convert Tennis Court #1 into multiple pickleball courts. Pickleball now has 4.8 million participants nationwide and a 39.3% growth rate over the last two years, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association ("SFIA") 2022 Sports, Fitness and Leisure Activities Topline Participation Report. There continues to be interest from the community for dedicated pickleball courts similar to the six pickleball courts at Williams Park in University Park. Currently, the Town does not have a dedicated pickleball court, but has pickleball striping at Tennis Court #5 at Fairfax Park and Tennis Court #8 at Abbott Park.
Kimley Horn has completed the following three options for the reconstruction of Tennis Court #1.
Option 1) Tennis Court: 120’ x 60’
Option 2) 3 Pickleball Courts: 62’ x 96’
Option 3) 4 Pickleball Courts: 62’ x 128’
*To note, Option 3 would allow for conversion to a tennis court in the future if desired.
All three options include upgraded lighting and bench seating. The pickleball courts are designed to have a four-foot-high ball stop fence with a windscreen between each court. Fencing around the perimeter of the entire court will be graduated to ensure unobstructed views of the park.
For 2023, 545 residents have been issued a tennis permit. With the addition of pickleball striping at Tennis Court #5, pickleball reservations increased over 145% from 2021 to 2022, bringing the total for the year to 6,408. For 2023, there have been 5,340 pickleball reservations to date. A review of tennis court reservations reveals that Tennis Court #1 has had the least number of reservations for the past three years, indicating it is the least used court and could have potential to be reconstructed to accommodate multiple pickleball courts.