The Wadena City Council has given the green light to build four new outdoor pickleball courts next to the Maslowski Center, capping off a community fundraising effort with a construction contract awarded at the council's August 11 meeting. The courts will be built on land that was purchased by the City for $1.00 from the Wadena Hockey Association. The project moved forward after the city solicited competitive bids from licensed contractors this summer.
Public Works/Parks Director Dan Kovar reviewed bids and recommended council award the contract to Kern & Tabery. The pickleball courts project has been funded entirely through community donations rather than tax dollars. Wadena State Bank, The Wadena Parks Foundation, Jack and Alvida Browne Family Foundation, Jim and Jane Merickel, The Wadena Hockey Association and The Wadena Fire Relief Association have all donated towards the project. A HUGE THANK YOU to these parties for investing in the community.
The new facility will feature four regulation-size pickleball courts on an asphalt slab measuring roughly 64 feet by 124 feet, along with two connecting sidewalk sections. The courts will be surfaced and striped in a green exterior with dark blue end zones and a light blue center section, separated by white lines, and each court will be equipped with posts and nets.
A six-foot chain-link perimeter fence — upgraded to black vinyl-coated material — will enclose the courts, with entrance gates on the south and east sides plus the additional interior gates requested by the donor. Windscreens will be installed along the fencing as well.
Construction is expected to be completed in either fall 2026 or spring 2027, depending on scheduling with the City and Contractor.