Proposed Pickleball Courts
at El Cerrito Park
(Councilmember Richins Request)
Donna Finch
Community Services Director
August 6, 2025
2 Today’s Ask
That City Council provide direction on the
construction of new outdoor pickleball courts at
El Cerrito Park.
• Demand growing for pickleball – ranked fastest growing sport in U.S. ( 46% 2023-2024, SFIA)
• Pickleball courts identified as one of the top four outdoor features by residents in the Parks & Recreation Master Plan (PRMP)
• PRMP calls for 23 pickleball courts to meet level of service guidelines (1/7,300 residents)
• Currently 17 total pickleball courts - 12 dedicated and 5 multi-use • Pickleball only: Border Park (10) and Husted Park (2) • Multi-use w/pickleball: Circle City Center (3) and El Cerrito Park (2)
• Leaves 6 more needed to reach 23
Background
333
Background - Tennis Courts
4 • Demand for tennis also growing ( 8% 2023-2024, USTA) • Corona has 19 tennis courts located at 7 parks (1/8,207 residents) • El Cerrito (2), Eagle Glen (3), Mountain Gate (4), Kellogg (4), Mangular (2), Promenade (2), Auburndale (2)
• 3 courts at Eagle Glen Park located 1.8 miles from proposed project site (El Cerrito Park)
• 19 existing tennis courts
• meets PRMP level of service guidelines 2
3 4
4 2
2 2
2 1
0 2
3 Background - Proposed Pickleball Courts
• New pickleball courts proposed in FY26 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) at El Cerrito Park
• City Council voted to pause project during budget adoption • Councilmember Richins subsequently asked for a reconsideration 5 • Identified as the preferred location for pickleball courts based on cost and distance from homes
• Project proposes converting 2 tennis courts into 8 pickleball courts and constructing 4 new courts on vacant parcel – 12 courts total • Total estimated project cost = $1,097,802
Privately
Owned
6 Option 1
No Change to El Cerrito Park
7 Option 2a
Convert only 1 tennis court at El Cerrito Park to pickleball courts 8 Option 2b
Convert both tennis courts at El Cerrito Park to pickleball courts 9 Option 3
Convert vacant parcel only at El Cerrito Park to pickleball courts 10 Option 4
(PROPOSED CIP PROJECT)
Convert both vacant parcel AND tennis courts at El Cerrito Park to pickleball courts
11 Option 5
Compromise - Add 8 Pickleball Courts to El Cerrito, but retain 1 tennis court and bring 1 tennis court back to Border Park
El Cerrito Park Border Park
Options Summary
12 Option 1
No Change
Option 2a
Convert 1 tennis court at El
Cerrito Park to pickleball
courts
Option 2b
Convert both tennis courts
at El Cerrito to pickleball
courts
Option 3
Convert vacant parcel only at
El Cerrito to pickleball courts
Option 4
Current CIP Project
Convert both tennis courts AND
vacant parcel at El Cerrito to
pickleball courts
Option 5
Add 8 pickleball Courts, retain 1 tennis
court at El Cerrito Park and bring 1
tennis court back to Border Park
Pro
s
• No cost
• Preserves 2
tennis
courts at El
Cerrito
• Allows time
to evaluate
impact of
new private
pay
pickleball
courts at
Eagle Glen
Golf Club
• Minimal cost
to convert
tennis court
than build
new
pickleball
courts
• Retains 1
tennis court
at El Cerrito
• Preferred
location by
pickleball
community
• Minimal cost
to convert
tennis courts
than build new
courts
• Preferred
location by
pickleball
community
• Retains both
tennis courts
at El Cerrito
• Preferred
location for
pickleball
community
• Meets PRMP LOS
for pickleball
• Preferred
location by
pickleball
community
• Retains 1 tennis
court at El Cerrito
• Brings tennis back to
Border Park
• No net loss of tennis
courts
• Reduces pickleball
noise at Border Park
• Net gain of 6
pickleball courts in
the City
• Achieves PRMP LOS for
Pickleball and Tennis
Con
s
• Does not
meet PRMP
LOS for
Pickleball
• Removes 1
tennis court
at El Cerrito
• Only provides
4 new
pickleball
courts (vs.
12)
• Removes tennis
courts at El
Cerrito
• Only provides
4 new
pickleball
courts (vs.
12)
• Higher Cost
• Removes tennis
courts at El
Cerrito
• Highest cost
• Parking impacts
• No time to
evaluate impact
of new private
pay pickleball
courts at Eagle
• Removes 1 tennis
court at El Cerrito
• Costs approx. $100k
more than original
CIP project
Staff
Recommendation
13 Today’s Ask
That City Council provide direction on the
construction of new outdoor pickleball courts at
El Cerrito Park.
Questions
? 951-739-4985
[email protected]
www.CoronaCA.gov
City of Corona 14