The Wichita City Council discussed pickleball at a workshop Tuesday morning.
Council members discussed the proposed $6.15 million, 24-court pickleball complex for South Lakes Park at 5300 S. Meridian. This project has been in the works since March 2021.
Council member Dalton Glasscock said he'd like to see more options, like constructing additional courts at Riverside Tennis Center and making a smaller complex at South Lakes, which would free up money to address homelessness in the city.
Council member Becky Tuttle said she was OK with having options, but voiced concerns about downscaling the project and what kind of impact it would have on the city's return on investment.
City staff will now explore more options to present to the council at a later date.
Pickleball remains the fastest growing sport in the county. Data shows that regional and national pickleball tournaments are economic booms to the communities who host them.
Also, at Tuesday's workshop the council engaged in more discussions about the 2025 budget and the 10-year capital improvement program.
Resident engagement will be an important part of the city's budget process. Crime prevention and street repair have been hot topics in past discussions.
The city will hold social media town hall events for the budget in April and will bring back the online budget simulator in May. The proposed budget will be presented to council and will be ultimately approved this summer.