Los Banos Pickleball Courts Reach Key Construction Milestone at Ag Sports Complex

Crews working at the Los Banos Ag Sports Complex completed sitework milestones on the city's dedicated pickleball court project, pushing construction into its next phase. City Inspector Anna Chavez provided the most recent progress update on the work, according to local reporting from the Los Banos Enterprise.

The project has been in the pipeline since at least September 2022, when Parks & Recreation documents pegged the full proposed build at $1,342,845.75. The FY22-23 available budget stood at $600,000, leaving a significant gap. City planning materials laid out two paths forward: Option 1 calls for proceeding with the complete design including all amenities, which would require a budget amendment of $773,140. Option 2 would strip the project down to basic and essential features, with no explicit cost figure provided in the available documents.

The itemized September 2022 estimate breaks down across five categories: project design and engineering at $135,000; site construction at $442,080, covering concrete and court surfacing plus fencing and gates; site furnishings at $51,410 for a drinking fountain, benches, and windscreens; lighting and electrical at $310,000; and irrigation and potable water at $62,600.

Earlier planning documents, dated January 2023, show the Parks & Recreation department was evaluating Cresthills Park at 700 Pioneer Rd. as a potential location for six courts, with fencing, lighting, and a connecting sidewalk identified as supporting amenities. The current construction activity is taking place at the Ag Sports Complex; whether the Ag Sports Complex represents a location change from the Cresthills Park evaluation, or a separate phase of work, has not been explicitly confirmed in available materials.

The project's roots go back to a citywide Park Master Plan process that identified pickleball courts as a highly requested public amenity. Funding was approved through ARPA allocations. The formal city timeline called for completing engineering documents and design, releasing the project for construction bids, completing construction, and scheduling a grand opening.

With sitework milestones now behind them, the Los Banos pickleball community is watching closely to see which budget option the city pursues and when net posts actually go up. Reach Los Banos Parks & Recreation at parksandrecreation@losbanos.org for project updates.