SEQUIM — More than 100 people packed a Sequim City Council meeting this week to protest what they say is a long delay in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan for constructing municipal tennis and pickleball courts.
The council voted unanimously Monday to approve the Parks and Recreation Master Plan as is, without making adjustments in the timeline.
The plan includes $4.3 million in capital construction over the next six years.
The capital improvement portion of the master plan calls for adding eight pickleball courts in 2016 or 2017 and four tennis courts at Carrie Blake Park in 2017 or 2018.
Of the 20 audience members who signed up to speak, 13 told the council that the city lacks enough facilities for such sports.
Plans for new courts are only a few years off, but tennis and pickleball players said the city can’t wait.
James Alkaraz, a real estate agent, said many prospective residents ask about the availability of courts, both for pickleball and for tennis.
“It’s very important. It gives them something to do,” Alkaraz said.
Tennis courts
Speakers said the condition of the high school tennis courts — the only courts in Sequim — are deteriorating quickly.
Two of the high school’s five tennis courts are now in such bad condition they have been closed, said Karen Chan, a Sequim High School varsity tennis player.
“This will be the first year we will have to cut players,” she said.
She said that in many cases, the team will not be able to host tennis meets with other schools and will have to travel out of town to compete.
Four or five months of the year, the tennis courts are off limits to the public after school because they are being used by boys or the girls tennis teams, so even high school students can’t use the courts when it isn’t their team’s season, Chan said.
Mary Budke, executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula, said the children’s tennis camp is a mainstay at the club and more space for the popular program is needed.
There is a great need for more activities for children in Sequim, Budke said.
“We don’t have a mall. There is no theater or bowling alley. I urge access for all sports,” she said.
Pickleball
A contingent of pickleball players also spoke regarding the city of Sequim’s lack of facilities for the game, indoor or out.
Pickleball players have been setting up smaller-than-regulation courts on outdoor basketball courts, and there are long waits for a court, they said.
“We want to be as active as we can for as long as we can,” said Mark Conley.
City staff and council members acknowledged the public’s comments but noted that funding for the courts was not yet available.
The plan looks up to 20 years into the future to predict the city’s future needs, said Joe Irvin, parks manager and assistant to the city manager.
The last parks and recreation master plan was approved in 2005, and while many of the 20-year goals in the older plan were still applicable, the document was no longer valid for the purpose of applying for grants to fund projects, Irvin said.
The master plan also include upgrades already underway at the Guy Cole Convention Center at Carrie Blake Park, a rock climbing wall, reconfiguration of the playground at Carrie Blake Park, additional pedestrian trails, signage, recycling stations and a water fountain.
New playground equipment and bocce ball courts are planned for the nearby Water Reuse Demonstration Site from 2017 through 2019.
There are also longer-term plans for Joseph L. Keeler Memorial Park, including boardwalks, parking, street access and other improvements beginning in 2019.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
