The Cortez Parks and Recreation Department plans to convert two tennis courts at Centennial Park into pickleball courts next year.
At their meeting Tuesday, City Council members authorized the department to apply for a $108,000 Great Outdoors Colorado grant to renovate the two westernmost courts at the park into six pickleball courts.
Played with a wiffle ball, pickleball is a paddle sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis and table tennis. Parks Director Dean Palmquist estimated that there are about 80 people in Cortez who play the sport, but they have to play on tennis courts, which are not the correct dimensions for pickleball.
Most people play tennis at Parque de Vida, so the courts at Centennial Park, just east of the library, will be converted. There will still be six courts there for tennis.
Palmquist said the surfacing at the two courts is uneven and in need of repair, and there are several dead spots on the courts.
“The time has come for them to be replaced,” he said.
If the GOCO grant is awarded, the city will contribute $72,000 from the conservation trust fund for a total project amount of $180,000.
Also Tuesday, council members authorized a $115,775 change order for the new City Hall construction project, bringing the total cost of the project to $2,711,623. The original contracted amount awarded to Weeminuche Construction Authority was $2,539,288, before a first change order raised that amount to $2,595,847.
This second change order includes a new membrane roof system, a paintable duct in council chambers and city court and a hard ceiling sheetrock in copier areas to mitigate fumes, according to city General Services Director Rick Smith. Some of the changes are required for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building certification and are necessary per the stipulations of the Colorado Department of Local Affairs grant awarded to the city for the City Hall project, according to Smith.
Other council actionsThe council voted Tuesday to approve the following items:
Two resolutions endorsing efforts by Montezuma County and the town of Dolores to opt-out of Senate Bill 152,A renewal tavern liquor license for Purple Sage Rib Company, 2591 E. Main St., andA special events permit for a Montezuma Land Conservancy fundraiser to be held Sunday at Carpenter and Geer natural areas.
