Denver City Council members were taken aback when a budget proposal for constructing pickleball courts at Rosamund Park appeared on the agenda of the Finance and Governance Committee on March 5.

Expressed Their Concerns

Council members expressed their concerns about the allocation of $2 million for new pickleball courts amid recent cuts to Parks and Recreation center hours and programming due to budget constraints caused by an influx of migrants. Jolon Clark, the executive director of Denver’s Parks and Recreation Department, had apparently anticipated these inquiries, according to Westword.com.

Clarifying the funding source, Clark explained that the department wasn’t drawing from the general fund for pickleball courts. Instead, Parks & Recreation sought permission from the council to reallocate funds from the Parks Legacy Fund originally designated for the Civic Center Park Theater Project. 

With the Civic Center project’s construction delayed, the department found itself with an unspent $3 million that would otherwise have rolled over into the next year’s budget.

Adding Four Courts

Under the proposal, $2 million will be allocated for completing the planned pickleball court construction at Rosamund Park. The project aims to add four courts to the southeast Denver park, which is undergoing a comprehensive makeover funded by two rounds of bond financing. Additionally, the park will feature a new playground and basketball courts as part of the renovation.

The remaining $1 million would be directed towards fulfilling the design outlined in the La Alma-Lincoln Park Vision Plan, drafted in 2023, to enhance the west Denver park with amenities such as a new amphitheater, cultural and exercise loop, picnic area, and improved lighting, among other enhancements.

Clark emphasized to council members that these funds couldn’t be redirected to the general fund. By allocating $2 million to Rosamund Park, the city stands to realize cost savings on the project, as the same contractor that has been engaged to develop some pickleball courts at Lowry Sports Complex Park can be utilized for the Rosamund project, Clark noted.

Closures Due To Noise Complaints

The announcement of the new court development will likely be welcomed by many Denver residents, particularly after last year’s revelation that the city intended to close the four courts at Mamie D. Eisenhower Park due to noise complaints. Adding insult to injury for pickleball enthusiasts frequenting the courts, the city announced plans to convert them back to tennis use only.

Eisenhower’s closure marks the second instance of public courts closing due to noise issues, following the closures at Congress Park in April. Scott Gilmore, deputy executive director of Denver Parks & Recreation, cited noise concerns at Eisenhower dating as far back as 2019. 

Investigations in response to four noise complaints revealed “violations to the noise ordinance when people are playing pickleball — specifically, the sound of the ball hitting the paddle.”

To mitigate the closures, the parks department added six temporary courts at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, and the four new ones at Rosamund Park will help further redress the balance.