2023 Pickleball Project Update

At the special City Council meeting on May 9, 2023, the Mayor and Councilors decided not to continue the exploration of converting the Westlake Park tennis courts to pickleball courts. Council remains committed to finding a solution to include pickleball as part of the recreation opportunities offered in Lake Oswego.

Council has asked Parks & Recreation to include the exploration of pickleball locations in the Parks Plan 2040 project. This comprehensive planning process will begin this summer. It will include extensive community-wide engagement to define a community vision for Lake Oswego’s Parks & Recreation Department through the year 2040. The recommendations and projects identified through this process will drive the department’s long-range planning, decision-making, and resource allocation related to parks, recreation facilities, natural areas, open spaces, recreation programming, and maintenance for the next 15 years. More information on the Parks Plan 2040 community engagement will be forthcoming.

Project Background

In July 2022, City Council asked the Parks & Recreation Department to undertake a public process to identify new suitable locations for pickleball in Lake Oswego. That process was guided by a Task Force comprised of Lake Oswego Pickleball Club members, George Rogers Park neighbors, local tennis players, a Lake Oswego School District representative, and Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources Advisory Board members.

The group was tasked with developing criteria to evaluate properties that might be suitable for pickleball in the City and making recommendations to the Parks and Recreation Department regarding several preferred alternative sites for new pickleball courts. Task Force members were asked to consider their personal experiences and the greater community's needs as they provided feedback on site criteria and potential locations. After the process concluded in November 2022, the Parks and Recreation Department shared the group's recommendations and preferred alternative sites with City Council on November 14. City Council requested that additional information regarding project costs and timelines be brought to an additional meeting in January 2023.

During the January 17, 2023 City Council meeting, after looking at various noise mitigation, operational, and relocation options, City Council voted to close the pickleball courts at George Rogers Park permanently. Council also directed the Parks and Recreation Department to begin the land use application process to convert the two Westlake Park tennis courts into six pickleball courts, and to convert the George Rogers Park pickleball courts back into tennis courts.

Westlake Park Site Consideration

Due to the high costs associated with developing new pickleball courts at a new location, Council asked the Parks and Recreation Department to provide information on the possibility of converting existing racquet court facilities to pickleball, as a more cost-effective solution. The Westlake Park tennis courts were considered as a possible site for pickleball early in the Task Force process, but the group ultimately decided against including it in their recommendations because the existing tennis courts are a popular amenity. However, conversion of the Westlake Park tennis courts to pickleball was reprioritized by City Council due to it being the lowest-cost and quickest option. On January 17 Council directed the Parks and Recreation Department to begin the process of exploring pickleball at Westlake Park, following the recommended guidance from the Task Force regarding a sound study, traffic and parking study, and neighborhood outreach.

Next Steps and Timeline

Following the direction from City Council, the Parks and Recreation Department has initiated the land use process to convert the two Westlake Park tennis courts into six pickleball courts. Prior to filing a land use application, the Parks and Recreation Department will work with a transportation engineer to conduct a traffic impact study and a parking study. The Department has also engaged a qualified acoustical engineer with experience in pickleball noise to conduct a sound study and develop recommendations for a noise abatement plan for the site. These studies will begin in the spring of 2023.

In addition to these studies, the Department will hold a Neighborhood Meeting in spring 2023 to hear from neighbors who live near the proposed site. Meeting information will be available once it has been scheduled. Additional community meetings may be held later in the process to share the results of the traffic, parking, and noise studies and gather additional input.