Roseburg is set to add 10 new pickleball courts at Umpqua Valley Tennis Center as part of a major renovation project. The city plans to replace 11 old tennis courts with eight new ones and create a dedicated pickleball area. Construction is expected to begin next month and finish by October 5.
Plans for the New Courts
The Umpqua Valley Tennis Center’s outdoor area will undergo major changes. The 11 current tennis courts will be replaced with eight new courts. Meanwhile, 10 new pickleball courts will be built where three other tennis courts now stand. The project will also bring new fencing, lighting, and seating.
“I’m super excited about this, it’s going to be a real showpiece in Stewart Park,” said Eric Ball, board president of the tennis center.
“It’s going to be so darn nice, and an absolute gold mine.” – (Eric Ball)
The outdoor courts were first built in 1959, with more added in 1970. Many are badly cracked and worn out, making renovations badly needed.
Project Approval and Costs
The Roseburg Parks and Recreation Commission voted to recommend awarding the $2.36 million project to JRT Construction. JRT, based in Oakland, submitted the lowest bid among three companies. The other bids were $2.9 million from Knife River Materials in Roseburg and $3.5 million from Bingham Construction in San Diego. Originally, the city had estimated the cost to be about $1.8 million.
“You know, bids have been a little bit weird in the last few months,” said Public Works Director Ryan Herinckx.
“I think some of this is attributable to uncertainty in the national and world market.” – (Ryan Herinckx)
More than $2.5 million has been raised for the project. This includes $1.1 million from tennis center fundraising, $750,000 from the state, and about $425,000 from city funds. Ball explained that after raising $500,000, the tennis center had to raise another $500,000 due to the higher costs. “There’s a lot of generous people in our community,” he said. The Roseburg City Council is expected to vote on the project at its next meeting on Monday.
Timeline and Background
If approved, construction could start next month. The outdoor courts will be closed during the work, but indoor courts will stay open. The deadline for completing the work is October 5, with the state grant requiring final completion by December 31.
The renovation plans began in 2019, when a master plan was made to fix the aging tennis courts. Poor court conditions drove the need for action.
Pickleball’s growing popularity added more pressure. The sport has seen a 46% increase in players from 2023 to 2024, reaching almost 20 million players nationwide. Public park courts for pickleball have grown by 650% over the past seven years.
Importance of the Project
Oregon currently has about 1,240 pickleball courts across 300 locations. However, many of Douglas County’s courts are just painted lines over tennis courts.
“We haven’t hosted any pickleball tournaments because the courts are in such poor shape. This will change that. This will be the first time there are any public courts in Douglas County that are real courts, not just painted lines over tennis courts.” – (Ball)
With pickleball expected to keep growing, the new courts could turn Roseburg into a hub for the sport in Southern Oregon.
News in Brief: Pickleball Courts at Umpqua Valley Tennis Center
Roseburg will add 10 new pickleball courts and upgrade tennis courts at the Umpqua Valley Tennis Center. The $2.36 million project will begin after City Council approval, aiming for completion by October. The project responds to growing pickleball demand and replaces aging courts from 1959 and 1970.
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