Late last year, Owensboro city commissioners approved a partnership with River City Pickleball to construct a multi-court pickleball complex at Ben Hawes Park.
Tuesday night, commissioners got their first look at plans for the complex.
But officials said the plans will receive final adjustments from the public before going out to bid later this year.
City Parks Director Amanda Rogers told commissioners, “We hope to be bidding the project sometime in November, if not sooner, with the goal of completing the project in the summer of 2025.”
The plan presented Tuesday evening includes 14 pickleball courts. Most are traditional courts, but the plan includes two championship courts as well. Other amenities could include shade areas, bleachers, event spaces, and artificial turf.
Officials said they would want the complex to be capable of hosting pickleball events.
“Pickleball tournaments, as we know, can draw big crowds,” said Marc Bond, vice president of Lose Design’s Knoxville office. Lose Design was hired to put together plans for the facility, which would be built south of the Ben Hawes parking lots.
Rogers said the plan is not complete, and that the public will have an opportunity to see the plan and recommend additions on Aug. 29, when a public meeting on the plans will be held at the Parks Department offices on McJohnson Avenue near Combest Pool. The meeting is set for 5 p.m.
Bond said the project could be built in phases, with commissioners deciding which phase to build, according to available funding. The first phase includes eight regular courts and one championship court, while the second phase has four regular courts and a championship court.
“We are going to leave space in the master plan for a future phase,” Bond said.
The nine-court phase, if built entirely, would include shade areas, bleachers, benches, and championship court high seating. The five-court second phase could also have amenities and a shade structure.
Source: https://www.messenger-inquirer.com/records/courtpolice/plans-for-ben-hawes-pickleball-complex-taking-shape/article_24b5c6fc-9e20-5ae1-98c4-0c2890f4004f.html