Alexandria Community Park is getting pickleball courts.
The city voted to accept a bid from Riegler Blacktop for $148,675 for two courts. It was the only bid they received for the project. The courts will go to Alexandria Community Park, where the old basketball court was near the softball fields.
“This seems a whole lot higher than what was anticipated on my end,” said Alexandria Councilmember Stacey Graus. “When it was $100,000, I thought it was high. What are we doing with $148,675?”
Alexandria City Administrator David Plummer said the city budgeted $150,000 for the project. While the project fit within the budget, Plummer said they hoped to get three courts out of that price, not two.
The park board upgraded the original eight-foot fence to a 10-foot fence, which Plummer said is about $10,000 more. He said it is not just a fence, it’s coated in black thermal plastic to withstand weather.
Plummer said they are making some adjustments to the bid to lower the cost, such as having the public works department excavate the site.
The pickleball nets will be removable so they can be taken down during the winter.
“I’ll tell you, and I’ve got one you can get a portable net,” said Alexandria Councilmember Tom Baldridge. “So, if it’s December, and we’ve taken the nets down already, and someone has a kit. They can put a net up real easy.”
