Sioux Center Pickleball Court Expansion: The Sioux Center City Council approved plans to build four new pickleball courts on June 2. Two courts will be placed in Children’s Park and two more in Open Space Park. The courts are scheduled to be built this summer, aiming to meet growing demand for the sport.
The project is part of a larger plan created by the City of Sioux Center, Dordt University, and the Sioux Center School District. Together, they are working through a joint use committee to find the best long-term plan for pickleball facilities in the area.
Two Courts Planned for Each Park
Lee Van Meeteren, the parks director for Sioux Center, said the goal is to spread the courts across two parks to serve more residents. At Children’s Park, the two 60-by-60-foot courts will likely be built on the east side, where old playground equipment currently stands. Preparation work is expected to begin later this month, with construction starting in July. The estimated cost is between $60,000 and $70,000.
“We all know that pickleball has become a hot ticket item in Sioux Center, an amenity we haven’t had. We have some tennis courts that people try to use as pickleball courts. Every day, there are people there all day long,” (Lee Van Meeteren told city council members).
Bigger Facility Plans in the Works
In addition to the four new courts, officials are also working on plans for a larger court facility along Seventh Street Northeast. This area is east of the American State Bank Sports Complex, where the Sioux County Youth Fair used to be. Several layout designs have been drawn up by Oleson & Hobbie Architects, which has an office in Sioux Center.
Five plans were created and reviewed by the joint use committee. Based on the feedback, they narrowed the choices to three possible designs.
“These are just ideas, there’s nothing concrete about any of these at this point. We just wanted to run these ideas past you and see if we’re going in the right direction with some of this and to hear your thoughts and feedback on some of these concepts,” (Lee Van Meeteren).
There is no cost estimate yet for this larger court project, and no final design has been chosen. The plan would begin with two pickleball courts but could grow depending on how many people use them.
Tennis Courts and Soccer Mini-Pitch Also Discussed
The larger court facility might also include three tennis courts, which could later increase to six. Dordt University needs at least three courts if it brings back its tennis program.
“They need a minimum of three courts to host anything,”. “They would prefer six, so for men’s and women’s tennis for practice times and all that.”(Lee Van Meeteren)
The plans also include a soccer mini-pitch made of the same surface used in pickleball and tennis courts. The mini-pitch would be enclosed to keep balls from flying into other areas. Basketball hoops could be added too, as the surface will have basketball lines.
Lee Van Meeteren said soccer is very popular in the community and this mini-pitch would take some pressure off the main fields.
“You’ll drive by our soccer fields and see cone set up for small fields all the time. They’re doing exactly what this is meant for,”. “This helps get them off our fields so we can get more repair work done on them.”(Lee Van Meeteren)
The location near the softball fields was seen as a better fit than the earlier site near the preschool and soccer fields in the north part of Open Space Park.
“The visibility of this location fit well. The softball fields are taking off. We’re going to host some 190-games there this year,” (Lee Van Meeteren).
Future Impact of the Project
The four new courts are expected to meet the immediate need for more places to play pickleball. As interest in the sport continues to grow, the city is preparing for long-term plans that could add even more courts and sports spaces. The feedback from the community and final decisions on the larger project will guide the next steps.
News in Brief: Sioux Center Pickleball Court Expansion
Sioux Center City Council has approved building four new pickleball courts—two at Children’s Park and two at Open Space Park—starting this summer. Plans are also in progress for a larger sports complex with more courts, tennis areas, and a mini soccer pitch to meet rising interest in outdoor sports.
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