Bellingham Pickleball Club Court Plans:Â A plan to build 12 covered pickleball courts at Whatcom Community College in Bellingham, Washington, has been canceled due to high construction costs. The Bellingham Pickleball Club board shared the decision in a recent announcement, saying the costs were much more than expected after a study was completed.
Cost Too High for the Club to Support
The courts were supposed to be built in the college’s parking lot, near Orca Field and the tennis courts. But a study done in March 2025 found the project would cost between $6 million and $9 million.
The club had received a $40,000 donation from Claude Blackburn in December 2024 to help pay for the study. He also offered to give $2 million for construction, but it was not enough to cover the full cost.
Major Support Behind the Plan
Claude Blackburn is a 73-year-old business owner who lives in Bellingham. He first brought the idea of covered pickleball courts to the Bellingham Parks Department and Western Washington University. Blackburn has supported other pickleball projects as well.
He donated $1.7 million to build the Blackburn Pickleball Pavilion at Skagit Valley College, which has 10 covered courts. He said construction was cheaper there because it happened five years ago and did not go through the same state process.
Years of Work Come to an End
The club had worked on the idea for years. The Covered Courts committee was formed to lead the planning. The project with Whatcom Community College was announced in January 2025. After the study in March showed how expensive it would be, the project was canceled.
Looking Ahead
Though this plan didn’t work out, the club still hopes to add covered courts in the future. Pickleball players in Bellingham can still play at several other places, including Armory Pickleball, Cordata Elementary, Fairhaven Middle School, Bellingham Fitness, and the YMCA.
News in Brief: Bellingham Pickleball Club Court Plans
Plans to build 12 covered pickleball courts at Whatcom Community College have been canceled due to high construction costs. The Bellingham Pickleball Club said the price was too much, even with a $2 million offer from donor Claude Blackburn. The group says it will keep looking for other options.
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