Public Works Recommends Commission Support New Concept Design for McKinley School Tennis Courts, Changing Two to Pickleball

Pasadena’s Recreation and Parks Commission will deliberate Tuesday on a recommendation by the Department of Public Works to rehabilitate the four tennis courts at McKinley School, located at 325 S. Oak Knoll Ave., and repurpose two of those courts for pickleball use. 

Currently, Pasadena pickleball players are using four temporary courts at Allendale Park. With the number of pickleball players growing at a fast rate, the Public Works Department said City Councilmember Andy Wilson’s office started discussions with the Pasadena Unified School District to see what they can do about McKinley School’s dilapidated tennis courts. 

A Public Works report said the four tennis courts have not been used in the last five years because of severe cracks and the deteriorated state of the court surfacing and striping. 

Rehabilitating the courts will allow PUSD and the local community to use them for school and after-school programming, the report said. 

Public Works is recommending the appropriation of $300,000 in Residential Impact Fees in the fiscal year 2022-2026 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget to finance the repairs. 

The report said work will include concrete crack repairs, court resurfacing and striping, fence and gate repairs, addition of a new ADA-accessible access ramp from El Molino Avenue, furnishing and installation of new netting, new court delineation fencing, and tree trimming. 

Based on the Public Works Department’s plan, the project could get PUSD School Board approval with the summer and plans and specifications can be prepared and advertised in Fall 2021. Construction can be completed by Spring 2022, the report said.