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Construction is expected to start in the coming weeks on two new lighted tennis courts at Pleasanton Tennis and Community Park after the City Council recently signed off on more than $900,000 in contracts to move the project forward.
Once the focal point of protests at the park and heated debate in the council chambers, the planned tennis park expansion received no fanfare when the council gave its final approval at the outset of its May 16 meeting, confirming its decision from December to pursue a new design concept for the project.
“We’re pleased with the outcome and look forward to being able to offer new tennis courts to this very active community,” Susan Andrade-Wax, the city’s community services director, said in a statement after the council approval last month.
The two new lighted courts, expected to be open by late fall, will be located in a grass horseshoe-shaped area between the two parking lots at the park located at the Valley Avenue-Hopyard Road intersection, bringing the court count there to 12.
The overall project cost is now estimated at just under $1.1 million, including nearly $145,000 in expenditures to date and about $952,000 expected for costs through construction, according to city officials.
The effort to bring the final two tennis courts to the Tennis and Community Park has been years in the making.
The park’s original master plan from 1985 envisioned 12 tennis courts, but the count has stayed at 10 since the mid-1990s. The city’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan update three years ago identified the need for more tennis courts in town, and the council subsequently prioritized two more courts at the Tennis Park.
The city had a contract in place with Goodland Landscape Construction Inc. last June to build the courts for around $500,000, but those plans were scuttled after community protests last summer.
Dozens of residents, many saying they had no idea about the expansion until seeing construction fences up at the park, opposed the 2016 design, arguing the new courts would be too close to their homes and take away grass areas the public used. They voiced their disapproval in protests at the park in July and turnout in the council chambers.
The council formally ordered the project to stop Aug. 9, sending it back to the drawing board.
The plans returned to the Parks and Recreation Commission for review at public meetings in September and November, with commissioners recommending a near-$1 million version among three final options sent to the council.
The council debated the project before voting 4-1 on Dec. 6 to endorse a design alternative that would remove 16 parking spots from the park’s lots but would cost an estimated $800,000 and remove only six trees from the park, including one designated by the city as a heritage tree.
The design supported by the council majority also offered minimal grading impacts as well as a location farther away from neighboring homes but still centrally positioned within the park, according to city officials.
Councilwoman Kathy Narum cast the dissenting vote, instead supporting the commission’s option that would retain more parking spots but include a $990,000 estimated construction bill and the removal of at least 17 trees.
The council-endorsed project design returned to city staff for fine-tuning before heading out to bid in April. The city received two proposals from contractors, with Goodland returning the lowest responsive bid.
Council members voted 4-0 to approve the construction contract with Tracy-based Goodland on May 16 for $799,338, plus up to $80,000 in contingencies, to build the courts. Vice Mayor Jerry Pentin was absent.
The council also endorsed a $56,880 contract with Swinerton Management and Consulting for construction management services for the project, with city staff saying outsourcing was necessary because of the city Engineering Department’s heavy workload.
Both contracts were approved without comment as part of the council’s vote on its consent calendar, a collection of items deemed routine and voted upon all at once without discussion unless an item is pulled for separate consideration.
The city had already set aside almost $495,000 for construction of the two new courts from its capital improvement budget. As part of its action last month, the council approved appropriating another $498,545 to the project, from the city’s park dedication fee fund.
Construction on the new courts is expected to begin at the end of this month or early next month, with completion due in four to five months, according to city spokeswoman Tracy Dunne.
Great news for tennis players like myself! I know the community thinks there are enough courts at the tennis park already, but with all the kids programs, lessons, clinics, USTA teams/matches happening there – rarely are courts available for people outside of these programs who are playing for exercise, fun and love of the game. NOW I just need to figure out how to lead the efforts to open up the Foothill High School courts to the public! we can play for “free” there, not have to make reservations and there would be no time restrictions if people aren’t waiting. Hoping my $11K property taxes a year with no kids in schools is worth a say. Wish me luck!
Wow Dana T – so glad having more unused courts at the expense of all Ptown residents makes you happy. Those courts are WAY underused – I take pics of empty courts all the time, and send to my daughter in law in SF – we laugh at the pitiful pettiness of Pleasanton. If there’s one day there is not a court available (and there are not many) – well heck, let’s build more. Money is no object. With the horses leaving Pleasanton – maybe you can pave the racetrack too! Thanks for reminding me that yes – we do need to retire elsewhere – this place is incredibly boring. love how the city went along with the protesting residents, just to jack up the price. Makes them feel good to spend our money.
Nice of the city to approve a contract for building those not needed tennis courts at a cost of more than double the cost of their previous attempt to build not needed tennis courts less than a year ago, INFLATION??? And those poor city engineers being overworked, it’s good we are willing to spend another $56,880 to hire an outside firm to do their work, I guess when the going gets tough the taxpayers will bail out the city employees!
@no more ptown for me – Yes the courts are mostly empty midday when most people are working. I know I work 8:30-5:30 and can’t play until 5:30/6 when all the courts are already booked for kids programs, lessons, clinics, USTA teams/matches. So hoping extra courts will allow me to play more after work and on wknds – when they are full. I know b/c I can’t ever book the same day I am ready to play. And the park courts are mostly full of players and instructors. Maybe you could try tennis – it’s a great activity for all ages! And I never mentioned any horses – just tennis for me!