The Lake Bluff Park District board has approved a plan to expand pickleball play at Artesian Park by converting one existing court for exclusive pickleball use and creating space for additional courts, though whether the village will contribute financially to the project remains uncertain.
At its May 18 meeting, the Park District board unanimously supported the proposal for Artesian Park, located in the first block of E. Sheridan Place.
Park District officials estimate the project will cost approximately $140,000. Currently at Artesian, the courts can be used both for tennis and pickleball.
Park District administrators say the changes are needed to reverse what they describe as a “significant decline” in pickleball revenue from 2023 to 2026, according to a memo from Executive Director John Bealer and Fitness, Aquatics and Racquet Manager Mark Montgomery.
Bealer said pickleball membership has dropped from a peak of 75 members to about 20.
“This reduction can be attributed to a decrease in program participation due to non-dedicated courts with rollable nets and temporary taped lines,” the memo stated. “Community survey results and member feedback continue to highlight interest in dedicated pickleball courts.”
Bealer and Montgomery project that the new and converted courts would generate an additional $21,100 in annual revenue through programming, memberships, drop-in fees, and rentals.
According to the memo, the increased revenue would be offset in part by approximately $7,100 in additional annual expenses for instructors and equipment.
One unresolved issue is whether the Park District will accept a proposed $100,000 grant from the Village of Lake Bluff, which is a separate unit of government.
The village has offered to provide the funding in two $50,000 installments under some conditions, including restoring a court at Blair Park within 12 months and beginning construction at Artesian Park within 24 months.
Officials from both government bodies are continuing to negotiate details regarding how the grant funds would be used and the timeline for the work.
“We have to look at those terms and see if we can work a reachable agreement for both parties,” Bealer said.
The Park District has offered pickleball since 2015, but in 2023 the village stopped permitting play at Blair Park, 355 W. Washington Ave., following noise complaints from some nearby residents and concerns over zoning compliance.
The park district later relocated pickleball activity to Artesian Park because of the noise issues and, in February 2025, received approval for a 10-year Recreational Institutional and Open Space District development plan tied to the proposed improvements from the village.
The village subsequently offered the $100,000 grant for the Artesian project.
“I think it was a function of the village being interested in resolving the zoning infraction issue and showing they were willing to partner with a fellow agency toward problem-solving,” Village Administrator Drew Irvin said.
Bealer said the Park District could also pursue other funding sources, including applying for state grants or finance the project independently. He added that the district is preparing for construction that could begin as early as this fall.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
