Rocklin plans 16-court pickleball complex at Sunset Whitney Recreation Area

Rocklin is clearing the way for a 16-court pickleball complex at Sunset Whitney Recreation Area, a buildout near 4201 Midas Avenue that could turn the city’s future Hub into the kind of place where league nights, tournaments and casual drop-in play finally share the same footprint.

The project is the next major step in the long conversion of the former Sunset Whitney Golf Course into a multi-use park destination. City bid documents call for a 16-court facility with fencing, accessibility improvements and other support elements, and the City Council recap says the finished site will include 16 lighted courts, accessible pathways and gathering areas designed to meet ADA standards.

For Rocklin players, the timing matters. The city has already selected a contractor after a public bidding process that drew eight proposals, and construction is expected to start in late April 2026, weather permitting. If the schedule holds, the complex could open in late summer. The bid package set a February 26, 2026 deadline and estimated the work at 50 working days.

The funding structure shows how big the city is thinking. The broader project has been described as a $2.5 million investment, with Placer Valley Tourism providing up to $400,000 in grant money. Bid documents listed an estimated construction cost of $1.7 million, underscoring that the courts are being treated as a major piece of park infrastructure rather than a simple amenity add-on.

That shift fits the larger master plan for Sunset Whitney, which the city adopted in 2023. Early concept material labeled the central activity zone as “The Hub” and included pickleball among the planned uses. One earlier concept showed 15 courts, including 13 standard courts and 2 championship courts with spectator seating and a kiosk. The latest city materials expanded that idea to 16 lighted courts, along with pathways and gathering spaces that can support larger events.

The city has been working on the site since it acquired the property in 2017, removing dead trees, rebuilding bridges, improving lighting, adding irrigation and pathways, and upgrading fencing and accessibility. Other planned amenities in the broader redevelopment include trails, a mountain bike course, a veterans memorial area, a multi-use building, play areas and picnic areas.

The city says park access will remain open while construction is underway, though temporary closures may be needed. For Rocklin, the new courts are more than a place to play. They mark the point where pickleball becomes part of the city’s long-range park strategy, and a possible new center of gravity for the local game.