By the end of this year, the city of Mercer Island aims to have pickleball players back in action on the renovated sport courts at Luther Burbank Park.

Pickleball enthusiasts, who will have eight new courts to display their skills on, have been positive and encouraging throughout the construction process that began in June of this year, according to Capital Improvement Program Project Manager Sarah Bluvas. The courts were closed to the public on May 21 so the city’s contractor, FieldTurf, could commence work.

“Many community members have stopped by the courts to watch construction and thank the crews and staff for their work. The city is working hard to bring the community new pickleball courts as soon as possible and appreciates everyone’s support,” said Bluvas, adding that construction hit a snag in July when the crew informed the city of an existing subgrade failure. Construction was suspended while they developed a remediation plan.

Following Mercer Island City Council’s approval of requested additional funding required to mend the subgrade, construction resumed in early September and now the first phase of the project is nearing completion.

Next up on the project docket is final paving work, which is expected to be completed the week beginning Oct. 21 as weather permits, Bluvas said. Succeeding the paving completion comes installation of pickleball nets and temporary striping.

FieldTurf’s agenda, according to Bluvas, also includes installing a new perforated drain on the south edge of the courts and a new access path from the parking lot to the courts; refreshing the existing gravel path from the restrooms to center court; and grading the south hillside. Bluvas added that the final acrylic playing surface and permanent striping will be installed in 2025.

Along with FieldTurf, other firms involved with the project are concept developer DA Hogan & Associates, which specializes in engineering and landscape architecture; Northwest Asphalt; and Beynon, the subcontractor handling court surfacing, according to city reports and its Let’s Talk platform. Pickleballers provided input in May on several layout concepts.

Back in 2022, the city’s PROS (Parks, Recreation and Open Space) Plan “identified the courts as a preferred location for pickleball court design, and a capital project to renovate the courts was included in the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget and Capital Improvement Program,” according to a city document. The project was in the design phase from May 2023 to March 2024.

The project — which has a total budget of $1,186,102 — is funded by a $193,000 grant from the King County Parks Capital and Open Space Program, the city’s Capital Improvement Program fund and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

For more information, visit Let’s Talk at: https://letstalk.mercergov.org/lbp-sport-courts-renovation-pickleball