LAKEWOOD, Wash. — A Lakewood skate park and tennis court will be replaced by four pickleball courts, the first in city history.
Lakewood Parks and Recreation Director Mary Dodsworth said people have been asking for pickleball courts “for years.”
A state grant will cover half of the estimated $700,000 project at Harry Todd Park in the Tillicum community.
“In order to write grants, you have to show public support. We probably, in a week and a half, we got 50 letters of support from folks, they were really excited about it,” said Dodsworth.
Not everyone is thrilled.
“It’s a great spot for everybody out here,” said Mike Corvin, who grew up near the park and has skated there since it opened in 2006.
Abby McKinney, 16, said she and her friends like skating and hanging out at the skate park.
"You're going to put a pickleball court and they're going to steal the nets. That's what's going to happen in the neighborhood," said McKinney.
Tegan Herold has an emotional attachment to the park.
She was friends with Ryan Wilmott, a 16-year-old, who helped secure grant funding for the park in 2005.
She said Wilmott, who died last year, was passionate about having a place for teens around Tillicum to skate without having to worry about traffic.
Dodsworth worked with Wilmott on the 2005 grant.
“We’re not trying to take away from Ryan’s legacy,” said Dodsworth.
She said usage of the skate park has declined, and there’s more demand for, and interest in, pickleball.
“You know, it’s the fastest growing sport in Washington, in the nation, actually,” said Dodsworth.