photo by: Eric Ayres

Grant Parshall and Hunter Koch, from left, of Wheeling play pickleball Sunday at the Patterson Sports Complex pickleball courts in Elm Grove.

WHEELING — The city of Wheeling is set to serve some of the last of its federal pandemic relief funds on improvements to the Patterson Sports Complex pickleball courts, but some pickleball enthusiasts are urging city officials to reevaluate their plan.

An ordinance authorizing the expenditure of $35,002 with Semper Fi Paving LLC of Bridgeport for resurfacing of the Patterson Pickleball Courts in Elm Grove is slated for a second reading and a final vote during Tuesday night’s meeting of Wheeling City Council. The project had been allocated funds through the city’s remaining pool of American Rescue Plan Act money.

The bid was significantly lower than others received for the project. By comparison, Cast & Baker bid $154,862 for the resurfacing and Kelly Paving bid $100,361.

Semper Fi was already awarded the annual paving contract for streets and alleys throughout the city, and that local company is expected to have its crews mobilized in the city in the coming weeks.

However, after the pickleball court resurfacing ordinance was introduced with a first reading before city council earlier this month, a couple of players who regularly utilize the courts at Patterson urged council to reconsider the ordinance — indicating that the specifications in the project simply will not bring the kind of improvements they need.

Scott Hedrick of Park View Lane said he is an official ambassador for USA Pickleball, and he addressed council about the pending project. He said in speaking with engineers about the plans for the improvements, he was told that the contractor was expected to mill two inches off of the top of the existing courts instead of going down to the base to provide a new foundation for the courts.

“I’m concerned that some of the cracks that exist there now are already deeper than two inches,” Hedrick said. “There are also swales and ponds and channels that have sunk over the years. I’m worried that we’re going to spend this money … put two inches on and refinish it, and then in one or two freeze seasons in Wheeling, it’s going to open up again.”

Hedrick said when he first started playing pickleball about a decade ago, he had to travel around to find places to play. He indicated that he was grateful that the city has taken steps to embrace pickleball in recent years.

“Now people are coming to our location because we have courts all around the small neighborhoods of Wheeling,” he said. “I’m very much looking forward to the resurfacing of the courts over in Elm Grove at Patterson. Pickleball is a sport that most people realize has exploded over the last couple of years. But I urge you at the next reading of this to not approve this proposal and consider going back and re-doing the whole thing so that we can have beautiful pickleball courts and have events, tournaments and things here that draw people to the area for many years to come — not just a short-term fix.”

Hedrick urged city leaders to “consider doing it right so it will last a long, long time.” Diana Mey of Applewood Drive, agreed.

“I’ve been playing pickleball for about nine years now, and consider Patterson to be my home court,” Mey said. “I am also concerned, having experience at Patterson, that the cracks that are existing right now are deeper than two inches. I fear that we’re going to spend this money and that we’re going to have a problem in another year or shortly thereafter.”

Mey also asked council not to approve the ordinance when it is up for a second reading.

“I don’t think it’s going to be sufficient to take care of the problem,” she said.

Councilman Dave Palmer, who represents Elm Grove, has for years been a champion of efforts to enhance opportunities for pickleball players in the city and in the area.

Palmer urged residents to keep in mind that the pickleball courts and tennis courts are not necessarily “professional grade” facilities at the city parks, but instead are courts provided to city residents and their guests to enjoy for free.

“City government is similar to a household, we have to live within a budget, and we do the best we can to provide recreational options for our residents,” Palmer said.

In September 2024, council awarded a $71,624 contract to Recreation Resources USA of Kennett Square, Pa., for improvements to the Patterson Sports Complex pickleball courts, also using ARPA money. It was subsequently discovered that the contract did not include any provision for the resurfacing and paving of the four existing courts there, Mey noted.

She also expressed frustration that four pickleball courts had reportedly been planned for the Edgington Lane playground from a recreational improvement launched back in 2023, but court lines were painted very close to the sideline fence, and when the lines were repainted, two of the courts were eliminated.

“It’s embarrassing watching smaller cities and communities around Wheeling opening brand new, first-rate pickleball courts all the while Wheeling struggles to open a single court done right,” Mey said.