Pickleball, the game taking the country (and Clear Lake) by storm, has six new courts planned on North 20th Street near the Clear Lake High School.
Repurposing the basketball court into six pickleball courts complete with resurfacing, fencing and lighting will give an additional location for those interested in pickleball a place to play, especially outside during the warmer months.
In addition, the basketball court, which the Clear Lake City Council mentioned is one of the only outdoor courts in the city, will be rebuilt just west of the pickleball courts. This will give residents a place to play basketball outdoors as well.
Veenstra and Kimm Inc., of Mason City, were tapped for the engineering of the project with initial estimates totaling just over $163,000.
At the Feb. 19 City Council meeting, Veenstra and Kimm said the estimates had actually dropped to just under $140,000.
The City is contributing $100,000 in monetary funds, as well as various in-kind such as tree removal, basketball hoop removal, connecting storm sewer, etc. City Administrator Scott Flory estimates this is about 63 percent of the total project.
Clear Lake High School is contributing just over $17,000 towards the basketball court. The remainder of the funds will be coming from the Clear Lake Pickleball Club’s fundraising efforts.
The Pickleball Club had presented to the City Council a few times over the past two years before making a formal request for financial support, while raising $120,000 toward the courts.
“This approval was predicated on the idea that we would also have a basketball court developed,” said Jeff Bertz, of the Clear Lake Pickleball Club. “The plan is for six permanent, dedicated pickle ball courts. The Clear Lake Pickleball Club has raised an additional $120,000 from its membership, community sponsors and grants as well from Cerro Gordo County. These parties as well as the Clear Lake Chamber have recognized that this new space will be a great amenity to the community and North Iowa.”
Council member Creighton Schmidt (At-Large) professed his thanks for getting the project going as he had been part of the project from the beginning before being elected to City Council.
“I would like to say I am excited for this project, I know this is one I had the opportunity to work on when it was just getting started and like the mayor was saying it is a great partnership between multiple groups in Clear Lake,” said Schmidt. “The Pickleball group has been persistent in their requests, but also their fundraising. They were able to raise more than their goal. To have the school come on financially, and this is of course their property, and the county to be a part of it and the city to be a part of it, it’s a great partnership. This may not be the biggest project in terms of dollars, but the Pickleball group is growing and a lot of people use the courts at the Wellness Center and the tennis courts adjacent to this project as well.”
Pickleball, created in 1965 in Bainbridge Island, Wash., is a game played with a plastic pickle ball and paddle along with a net.
Two players (singles) or four players (doubles) hit a perforated, hollow plastic ball with paddles over a 34-inch-high net until one side is unable to return the ball or commits a rule infraction.
While resembling tennis (or table tennis) Pickleball is governed by a different set of rules, paddles and court dimensions.
Played on a court that is 44 feet long and 20 feet wide with composite or wooden paddles and a perforated plastic ball. On each side of the net is a seven-foot area known as the non-volley zone (or kitchen) where the ball must bounce before it is hit.
For anyone wanting to get into Pickleball before the new courts are built, the Clear Lake Wellness Center has courts indoors.
The Clear Lake City Council set bid letting for March 14 with a public hearing and approval of plans and specifications for March 18, along with contract awarding.
Construction is scheduled to begin April 2 and completed by June 21.
