Pickleball courts could be open by June

 FORT MADISON – A $300,000 endeavor to convert some lackluster tennis courts into a state-of-the-art pickleball facility is close to being wrapped up.

Crews from Nebraska are in town now to clean the concrete surfaces that were poured last year and put down a coating that will serve as the surface that will be marked before playing can begin.

Lynn Hoyer, a member of the Fort Madison Pickleball Association, that decided to put the pickleball courts in Victory Park where the former tennis courts were located said crews are now at the mercy of the weather in getting the project finished.

“They are in town today mostly doing prep work on the foundation that was poured,” Hoyer said.

“They need to clean the cement and do some powerwashing, acid washing, and then get it ready to put the Nova-Plate top on."

“But the temperatures have to be above 50 overnight for three straight nights to paint and I’m not sure how the rain will affect the work.”

Nova-Plate is an edge-retentive high grade epoxy surface application that will provide a durable surface for the courts.

Hoyer said she hopes that people will be playing on the courts before June and a grand opening is being organized when the entire courts are finished, including fencing and final landscaping.

The project cost $290,000 all-in with several large donations that came in from area groups to put the project over the finish line, she said.

The project will include six pickleball courts with new fencing and landscaping around the courts. The fencing has been installed but has to be lifted to allow for the pouring of the new surface.

Pouring the surface is expected to take about a week and then it will have to be allowed to cure and be painted and the fencing reset.

The cost of the project has been shouldered mostly from private donations with an initial contribution from the city.