Boulder is preparing to break ground on a major new pickleball complex near Boulder Reservoir this spring, part of a broader effort to expand access to racquet sports as demand continues to outpace the city’s aging and shrinking court system.
The project at Tom Watson Park will add 12 lighted pickleball courts, along with three court shelters and adjacent walking paths, according to a staff memo for the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board in April.
Construction is expected to begin in late May or June, with the courts opening in November if permitting and planning reviews stay on schedule. The city estimates the cost to be between $1.5 and $1.8 million.
The project will transform “underutilized park space into the community’s first dedicated public pickleball courts, creating new opportunities for recreation, social connection and active lifestyles for community members of all ages,” Kate Hernandez, city communications manager, told Boulder Reporting Lab.
The investment comes as pickleball’s growth continues reshaping Boulder’s recreational landscape, sometimes uneasily alongside the city’s longtime tennis community.
At East Boulder Community Park, the city plans to convert three of five existing tennis courts into six pickleball courts in the coming years. To offset the loss, Boulder also plans to build eight new tennis courts on newly annexed land southwest of the East Boulder Rec Center, though construction is not expected to begin until fall 2027, with completion projected in 2028.
The city’s long-term court plan reflects a balancing act between two sports competing for limited space.
According to the 2024 Boulder Parks and Recreation court system analysis, the city has 20 dedicated tennis courts, but none for pickleball. Instead, pickleball players must use of multi-sport courts at Foothills Roller Sport Rink in North Boulder or at community recreation centers.
The analysis found that the city needs 22 dedicated pickleball courts and 22 dedicated tennis courts to meet current demand. The report recommended investing roughly $400,000 annually through 2030 to reduce maintenance backlogs and expand capacity. According to Hernandez, the city has spent $850,000 over the previous three years to replace five tennis court systems. The city says it expects millions more in spending over the next two years.
But while pickleball infrastructure is moving ahead quickly — including a private dedicated facility — tennis players in Boulder have seen access steadily decline over the past decade.
Some courts have been repurposed with pickleball lines, while others have disappeared entirely. Among the largest recent losses was the closure of the Rocky Mountain Tennis Center courts at the Millennium Harvest House Hotel, long the city’s main hub for covered tennis. The property is being redeveloped into student housing tied to CU. Twelve more courts were planned for the CU South Campus, but the fate of the entire development remains unclear.
Meanwhile, a proposed private tennis club in Gunbarrel stalled after drawing significant opposition from nearby residents concerned about traffic, lighting and neighborhood impacts.
The city’s plans around East Boulder reflect those tensions.
Earlier this year, Boulder approved the annexation of a 24-acre parcel originally acquired in 2019 for flood mitigation and open space purposes. Community discussions around the site have included calls both for expanded racquet sports facilities and for honoring Indigenous heritage through a botanical garden and open space elements.
City officials expect to select a consultant for the East Boulder project by mid-May, with design work beginning this summer.
Additional improvements are planned for Tom Watson Park beyond the pickleball courts themselves. Future phases could include a new playground, replacement restrooms, expanded parking and a designated food truck area.
Elsewhere in Boulder’s court system, the multiuse courts at Harlow Platts Park near the South Boulder Recreation Center remain in deteriorating condition. Rather than fully rebuilding them now, the city plans temporary resurfacing and repairs in 2026 while officials evaluate larger investments at the recreation center.
Boulder Parks and Recreation is facing tight budget constraints despite overseeing a large citywide system. While the department has been slowly cutting services to save costs over the years, the impacts are poised to become more tangible in 2027.
