The city of Durango has secured money to build pickleball courts in 2023. But a major question looms: Does public opinion favor the development of six courts at Smith Sports Complex on College Mesa or should Schneider Park be the next site for public, outdoor pickleball?
Durango Parks and Recreation held a meeting Wednesday at Durango Community Recreation Center to help its contracted designer, DHM Design, gather more feedback about the two locations.
Parks and Recreation has already recommended the city fund pickleball courts in 2023, said Ture Nycum, director of the department. If the project is green-lighted, either location could be cleared for development.
Max Paustian, president of the Southwest Pickleball Association, said he approves of the city’s progress on studying the Smith Sports Complex site. He said concerns raised by lacrosse and soccer officials about a loss of parking as a result of pickleball courts going in can be addressed in designs going forward.
“We at the club have already given, in writing, a pledge of $15,000 for the construction of those courts,” he said. “So we believe it’s still a very viable project. The city’s done a very good job in trying to minimize everyone’s concerns.”
But Paustian wants to know more about the potential of Schneider Park before he fully makes up his mind about which location he prefers.
“It’s like every project, I can see some pros, some cons,” he said. “But I think it’s also viable based on the limited information that I know of right now.”
Either way, he said it’s “wonderful” that funding has been secured for a pickleball complex construction project in 2023.
The Southwest Pickleball Association formed about 10 years ago, he said. Today, the group has about 209 members. Its goal is to promote pickleball in the Four Corners, particularly in Southwest Colorado.
“It seems to be picking up in schools,” he said. “And the younger crowd really likes this game. It’s easy to learn and it’s fun to play.”
He said the group organizes structured pickleball play, mostly in the form of round robins and game clinics at Durango Community Recreation Center.
Many communities surrounding Durango already have outdoor pickleball, he said. Durango is a “very unique place” in not offering the same.
“I go to a lot of towns around here and play,” he said. “And everybody is always amazed that we don’t have outdoor pickleball and they don’t understand why.”
Durango resident John Brill said he can’t decide whether Smith Sports Complex or Schneider Park would make for a better pickleball location. He’s been in Durango for 10 years and is a tennis and pickleball player.
He said the Schneider Park location would shelter the wind, the nearby river would help blunt the noise and court lighting wouldn’t contribute significantly to light pollution. On the other hand, the public restrooms are in need of work because they are a “wreck,” he said. The restrooms have been marked for renovations should Schneider Park be chosen, according to Parks and Recreation.
“Maybe having a bike rack somewhere beside the courts would be an asset because a lot of people would bike in there and access it that way,” he said. “But I think it’s a very scenic setting. I think you could probably barely get six courts in there. It’s a little tight, but I think it would work.”
As for the Smith Sports Complex, Brill said the groundwork and infrastructure is already there, which is a plus.
“You’ve got tennis, you’ve got parking, you’ve got beautiful bathrooms. You’ve got lighting,” he said. “I can’t imagine that bothering anybody. I’ve heard there’s parking issues but it looks like (Parks and Recreation) have maybe addressed that. But I think that is a great concept, as well.”
Nycum and Lee Petty of DHM Design reviewed aspects of each potential project site during Wednesday’s meeting.
Petty said Smith Sports Complex is a “well-utilized facility” that already is used for sports such as ultimate Frisbee, youth football, disc golf and tennis, in addition to lacrosse and soccer activities as well as parking for volleyball on Tuesday nights during the summer.
He said current design plans project a net loss of 15 parking spaces, which were a major concern to youth soccer and lacrosse officials when the Smith Sports Complex designs were first released.
In addition, FLC has agreed to modify a parking lease with the city to allow more parking spots on its property to be used for sporting events at the complex, Nycum said.
cburney@durangoherald.com
