The Prescott City Council heard a brief recap of the May 20 Parks and Public Works Committee meeting concerning the concept plan for Public Square Park tennis/pickleball courts at the council meeting on June 10.

The Prescott Pickleball Group, consisting of 120 members, collaborated with the City of Prescott in 2022 to contribute funds for the construction of two new pickleball courts at Public Square Park that were completed in fall of 2023 with a price tag of $23,357. Currently the group reserves the courts for their reserved playing times of Monday (6-8 p.m.), Wednesday (6-8 p.m.), and Saturday (8-11 a.m.) For the summer season they charge $25 for residents and $40 for non-residents and guests are charged $5 each. To reserve time, people are using a third-party app and telling people to leave the courts through PlayTime Scheduler, which is causing frustration with community members who feel that since their tax dollars contributed to the court construction, they should have unrestricted access as over 90% of fundraised dollars were donated by foundations and businesses for the benefit of the broader public. Community members argue that there is currently an impression of ownership of the courts by the group which has been unsettling for newcomers and those who prefer more informal, casual play.  While scheduling and payments are not affiliated with or sanctioned by the city, the city “aims to strike a balance between acknowledging Prescott Pickleball's significant contribution and ensuring the courts remain a public amenity.”

The current tennis courts are once again experiencing major cracking after being completely resurfaced in 2021 at a cost of $18,740 and were not professionally designed so they were built to a width of 90 feet instead of the standard width of 102 feet. The present proposal for the 2025 Capital Improvement Plan is considering adding the reconstruction of the tennis courts, along with an expansion of 12 feet to their width. The Prescott Pickleball Group is asking the city to consider changing one tennis court into pickleball courts while community members involved in tennis clinics and community education are adamant that both tennis courts are needed.

Three options have been presented to the city for possible choices for the upcoming reconstruction:

• Option A would keep the original plan by adding two pickleball courts adjacent to existing courts, alongside two tennis courts. In total, the estimated work is expected to cost between $90,000 to $120,000 for the tennis courts, plus the additional cost of two more pickleball courts at $45,000 to $52,000, which brings the total to between $135,000 and $172,000.
• Option B would convert one tennis court into four pickleball courts, leaving only one dedicated tennis court at an expected cost of between $90,000 to $120,000.
• Option C merges both cost savings and recreation enjoyment by adding four striped pickleball courts while keeping two tennis courts with dual striped surfaces at a potential cost of between $90,000 to $120,000. This option comes with drawbacks of crowded surfaces from intersecting lines, moving of pickleball nets and limits freedom to play either sport as one pleases due to conflicting net and post arrangements.

The Parks and Public Works Committee is recommending that the council approve Option B to be included in the 2025-2032 Capital Improvement Plan for future construction and recommend that no signs or equipment can be put in any parks unless specifically approved and hung or installed by the city.

City Administrator Matt Wolf stated, “After discussion the committee is recommending that we take one of the tennis courts and we convert it into four pickleball courts.”

He said it would still leave the one court dedicated to tennis but would add four pickleball courts.

“In total the estimated work is expected to cost $90,000 to $120,000,” Wolf said.

The Parks and Public Works committee also recommended that the Prescott Pickleball Group that helped raise the money for the first two courts have the courts reserved for their use on Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m. and Saturdays 8-10 a.m. Mondays will be open community sessions for pickleball, and a sign will be posted stating the above information and will also state that there will be no reservations of courts beyond those times that are listed.

“Who’s taking care of reservations?” asked Alderperson Mike Gerke.

Wolf said the club would be taking care of reservations on Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m. and Saturdays 8-10 a.m.

Alderperson Maureen Otwell asked how having only one tennis court will work for the tennis clinics. She expressed concern that limiting tennis to only one court would make it difficult for the future.

Alderperson Dar Hintz explained the commission’s decision.  

“I feel like we just chose Option B because really the need for pickle ball courts were so much greater than tennis courts. And that the trend is not going away. So that was the reason why we wanted to leave at least one tennis court,” Hintz said.

Prescott resident Kathy Hovel approached the council to share information that she received regarding tennis camps. She wondered if two tennis courts were needed as there are 25 children in the summer tennis camps.

“Tennis doesn’t go anywhere for the kids. It’s not like we have a high school team,” she said.

She asked if the children were “doing tennis” just for recreation or “for something for parents to put their kids into,” or “are they really doing it to play tennis?”

Alderperson John Peterson wondered if two tennis courts are just preferred or truly needed. “These tennis courts are not getting used nearly as much as pickle ball courts.” He added, “I think money is better spent converting one, in my opinion.”

He further explained that after future construction, the one tennis court will be regulation sized.

After Otwell motioned to approve Option B for the Tennis/Pickle Ball Court Renovation for 2025, the Council unanimously approved the motion and approved the use of reserved times for the Pickle Ball Group for the 2024 season.