Newton finalizes location for new pickleball courts at Aurora Park

Four pickleball courts will be constructed north of the existing tennis courts of Aurora Park in Newton within the next year or so.

The Newton City Council on Feb. 6 finally selected the location of the courts after being given a number of options last month and discussing the concerns from nearby residents, who mostly worried about the noise. However, none of the options presented at the Jan. 16 meeting were used for the final location.

Instead, council members settled on a space sandwiched between First Avenue East and the Aurora Park tennis courts, directly east of a nearby parking lot; city documents show the lot will eventually be eliminated for a future green space. Initially, it seemed the pickleball courts would be built south of the tennis courts.

However, the courts’ proximity to residential neighborhoods caused council to second guess the decision. Newton Community Services Director Brian Laube showed another location option on the northwest quadrant of the park, and entertained the idea the courts could be built in Maytag Park.

The language included in the $1.6 million park bond referendum clearly stated the pickleball courts would be built in Aurora Park. To build the facilities in a new park would require another vote of the people, which comes at a price of both money and time. So council sought the feedback of pickleball players.

With their input, city staff was able to find this new location that satisfied council and the enthusiasts who will be utilizing the courts most often. Council member Randy Ervin commended the process wherein the city reached out to community members for vital input on a new parks activity.

“This has actually been probably one of the most discussed … topics that we’ve dealt with as a city,” Ervin said. “So I appreciate all the input. I got several calls, emails, personal discussions. A lot of people saying, ‘Look this up. Look that up.’ It really—I think this is a good example of citizen participation.”

The council also approved staff’s submittal of a grant application for the pickleball court project, which was included in the consent agenda and passed in a 6-0 vote. If the Wellmark Built Environment MATCH Grant is successful, it could provide up to $100,000 for the project.

According to the park bond mailer distributed to citizens prior to the September 2022 special election, the pickleball courts are to be funded by a mix of private donations, grant funding and a portion of the bond funds. The tax rate for city residents will not be affected by the bond.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com