Material costs impact City pickleball court project

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on January 13, 2023.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

The City may be in a bit of a pickle over plans to build new pickleball courts at Legacy Park.

A report to be presented Wednesday to the Economic Standing Policy Committee of city council says material prices have increased substantially since the project was approved.

The SPC will be asked to recommend council amend the Capital Improvement Plan to add $300,000 from the Federal Gas Tax Fund so the project can be fulfilled.

A report to be submitted to the SPC says construction bids for the courts have been received with the highest evaluated bid over budget.

“Material prices have risen significantly since the approval of the CIP which are contributing to the higher costs for construction projects,” says the report to be jointly submitted by Robin Harper, general manager of Recreation and Culture, and Parks and Cemeteries GM Blair Richter.

“If the additional funding is not approved, a reduction in scope will be required and administration will need to go back to market to hire a contractor. A reduction in scope would impact the overall intent of this project which could result in the courts not meeting minimum requirements for intended use and the courts not being used to the full extent,” says the report.

In June 2021 city council approved the 2022-31 CIP which called for upgrading the pickleball courts at Legacy to meet standards laid out by the Lethbridge Pickelball Club and work with the Parks and Recreation and Culture departments to identify a plan for the site up to a maximum cost of $650,000.

An engagement process was started to gain feedback on converting the tennis courts at Legacy to pickleball courts and on May 10 of last year, council as part of its consent agenda, approved construction of the new courts.

The project calls for six additional courts to be built at Legacy with wind mitigation measures incorporated.

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