Bonney Lake Pickleball Court Project: A 20-acre property in the Buckley area could soon become a major sports complex featuring pickleball courts, turf fields, and a trail. The City of Bonney Lake plans to sell the Reed Property to the Mt. Rainier Futbol Club for the development, which will be free for public use.
The proposed complex will include a covered pickleball pavilion with 10 courts, two grass fields for soccer or lacrosse, and an educational trail linking to the Foothills Trail. Cathy Dahlquist, one of the project leaders, said she began planning in 2023 after discovering pickleball during a challenging time.
How the project began
Dahlquist partnered with Scott Knall, president of the Mt. Rainier Futbol Club, to create a public-private partnership for the facility. The City of Bonney Lake offered the Reed Property as a site. Since then, Dahlquist has secured $2.7 million in grants from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office and the Community Outdoor Athletic Facilities program to build the pickleball courts.
Next steps in the sale
The city will hold a public hearing on August 12 at 6 p.m. at the Bonney Lake Justice & Municipal Center. City Administrator John Vodopich said the hearing is needed before declaring the land “surplus property,” which will allow the council to authorize the sale.
The land was purchased by the city in 2010 for $1.06 million to drill a water well, but the project failed.
“It’s surplus to our needs,”. “We originally acquired it to drill a well… that did not work out.”(John Vodopich)
Building the complex
Dahlquist said the grants cannot be used to buy the land, so Mt. Rainier Futbol Club will cover that cost. Once the purchase is complete, they will begin engineering, design, and permitting. The pickleball courts will be built first, with an estimated opening between fall 2026 and spring 2027. The grass fields will follow, along with a trailhead developed in partnership with the Puyallup and Muckleshoot tribes.
“Scott Knall and I are very excited to see it through to the end – whatever that takes,” Dahlquist said.
News in Brief: Bonney Lake Pickleball Court Project
The City of Bonney Lake plans to sell the Reed Property to the Mt. Rainier Futbol Club to build a sports complex with pickleball courts, soccer fields, and a trail. Funded by $2.7 million in grants, the first courts could open by 2027, offering free access to the public.
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