Bourbon City Council Approves Second Pickleball Court

The Bourbon City Council on April 18 approved a bid for a second pickleball court at the park.

Council members accepted a $9,950 bid from CFR Construction for the court. 

CFR also poured the first court with a bid of $14,720. 

The second court is not as wide, which reduces the cost. 

Park board members addressed the council during the March 26 meeting on the court, which was approved without their knowledge. 

The park board was asking for approval to get a second court for tournaments. Park board member Francie Rohrer informed the council in March about how they have heard interest from people to hold tournaments.

She said during the April 18 meeting they had been contacted again that week.

Ward 2 Alderwoman Mary Heywood asked if there was going to be any income realized from holding the tournaments, but that wasn’t made clear.

The council did not address confusion from the March meeting, when it was asked how the bid for the first pickleball court was approved. No council member knew anything about the bid.

Ward 1 Alderwoman Margie Brine said that if the park is going to be hosting more people through pickleball tournaments, they must address ongoing vandalism issues

“Bathrooms are a big issue,” Brine said. 

Earlier this year, the council and park board discussed the lengths vandals were going to destroy property.

Park board president Steve Pasch said during the Jan. 24 meeting that a vandal or vandals used a brick to shatter a double lock on the bathroom, kick the toilet off the flange and end the destruction by ripping off a water fountain off the wall.

The council on April 18 talked about finding durable nets for the pickleball court, which they figure will be a target for vandals.

“Vandals will tear up those nets,” said Mayor Dave Lafferty.

Tim Davis, the new Ward 2 Alderman who was appointed earlier that night, asked if the council could get cameras set up around the park.

Rohrer said it’s a good idea, but even when vandals are caught on camera, they are wearing hoodies.