A report headed to LaSalle town council Tuesday night will outline the cost of building pickleball courts at the Vollmer Complex, adjacent to the existing tennis courts.
As part of the 2025 budget deliberations, administration was directed to begin preliminary design and construction estimates for the project.
Staff said during public consultations they heard that the public wanted windscreens, shade, restroom facilities, lighting, and parking out of a new facility.
$3-million was approved for the project during the 2025 budget, and staff report an estimated cost of $2.8 million for construction.
Mayor Crystal Meloche said the project doesn't just include construction of 10 pickleball courts.
"They would also have a new parking lot there, it would also include fencing, lighting, and a washroom facility all in that location, so those items are included in that $3-million. I know a lot of people are like 'oh my gosh, that's a lot of money for pickleball courts', but it's actually an extension to the parking lot, as well as other things," Meloche said.
Meloche said council does have the option to move forward with the project as a whole or remove some features, but warned it could put some strain on resources at the Vollmer.
"If they don't do the parking area, it means that anyone playing pickleball will join the other people playing tennis, who will join everybody who's using the Vollmer to swim and skate, and they'll all be sharing that one parking lot that is already pretty full most nights," she said.
Meloche said residents have been asking for years for the expansion of facilities.
"A lot of the communities around us have been able to put these courts in. We haven't been able to at this point, we had already slated to do the tennis courts and we've done a few other projects, so we said last year during budget that we were willing to go down this road and see what the cost would be. Thankfully it has come in under the expected budget," said Meloche.
Should council approve the report, administration expects to tender late this year with construction beginning early spring 2026, and hopes to have the courts available for use by July 2026.