Bourbonnais works to remedy pickleball court dilemma

Bourbonnais village officials find themselves in a pickle with a current park project.

The pickleball court project at Ed Hayes Park has hit pause.

The four-court foundation has been poured and is awaiting a playing surface.

What officials hoped would be a monthslong project in 2024 is currently at a standstill in 2025.

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. Courts are being constructed across the country and throughout Kankakee County.

An estimated 8.9 million people were playing the sport in 2023, up from 4.8 million in 2022.

There are local pickleball courts in Kankakee, Bradley and Manteno.

According to the Association of Pickleball Professionals, 19% of U.S. adults have played at least once in the past year.

Bourbonnais is hoping that play may soon be an option at Ed Hayes Park.

The company hired to pour the playing surface asked for and was granted permission by officials to back out of the project.

“We had some issues with the group that we had a contract with, and they backed out, and now we’ve got to look at planning for that,” Administrator Mike Van Mill said after last week’s board meeting.

The project cost was about $275,000, with $100,000 coming from a state grant, village officials said.

Public works employees were used to pour the concrete foundation.

Public works Superintendent Terry Memenga said during a Finance Committee meeting last year that the village was saving 40% by having the foundation work and other parts of the project prepared by the village.

The foundation surface is where the problem cropped up.

“When they came, they were trying to bond in the cracks, and their product didn’t bond with our concrete,” Mayor Jeff Keast said. “Basically, the product didn’t work. Their specific product didn’t work on it.”

The mayor went on.

“It’s frustrating, but from the same standpoint, we are making sure that we’re going to give the quality product that our residents deserve.”

Could the company have wanted to do the entire project?

Keast said that it is a possibility.

The next step is to find a company to complete the court, Memenga said.

It is hoped this project can be completed by fall. The clock is ticking on the 2025 pickleball season.

“We’re looking at several options, but it looks like September is when work could begin,” Memenga said.

Cool weather last fall put the project on hold. The playing surface needs three days and nights at no less than 55 degrees to cure.

Wet and cool temperatures this spring delayed completion.

Public works employees need to finish work on a pavilion, a water fountain, fencing for the courts and landscaping, Public Works Committee Chairman Randy King said in an update at last week’s board meeting.