Pickleball At El Cerrito Park
Options Update
Donna Finch
Community Services Director
November 19, 2025
2 The Ask
That the City Council provide direction on its
preferred option for CIP FC-2026-05 (Pickleball
Facility at El Cerrito Park)
2 • 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
3 Background - Tennis Courts
4 • Demand for tennis also growing ( 8% 2023-2024, USTA) • PRMP calls for 18~ tennis courts to meet service level guidelines (1/8,207 residents)
• Corona has 19 tennis courts located at 7 parks, achieving our desired service level.
• 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)
2 3
4 4
2 2
2 2
1 0
2 3
Background
Proposed Pickleball Courts at El Cerrito Park
• New pickleball courts proposed at El Cerrito
Park in FY2025-26 CIP Budget
o Project involved replacing 2 tennis
courts with pickleball courts & building
4 new courts
o Approximately $1.1 million cost
• June 4, 2025 – City Council voted to pause
project during budget adoption
• July 2, 2025 – Councilmember Richins
asked for a reconsideration of the project
• August 6, 2025 – Project brought back to
City Council for reconsideration
5 6
Original Alternatives
Presented August 6, 2025
7 Alternative Option 1
No Change to El Cerrito Park
8 Alternative Option 2a
Convert only 1 tennis court at El Cerrito Park to pickleball courts Net Pickleball Courts (+4)
Net Tennis Courts (-1)
9 Alternative Option 2b
Convert both tennis courts at El Cerrito Park to pickleball courts Net Pickleball Courts (+8)
Net Tennis Courts (-2)
10 Alternative Option 3
Convert vacant parcel only at El Cerrito Park to pickleball courts Net Pickleball Courts (+4)
Net Tennis Courts (0)
11 Alternative Option 4
(ORIGINAL CIP PROJECT)
Convert both vacant parcel AND tennis courts at El Cerrito Park to pickleball courts
Net Pickleball Courts (+12)
Net Tennis Courts (-2)
12 Alternative Option 5
(Recommended Compromise)
Add 8 Pickleball Courts to El Cerrito Park, but retain 1 tennis court and bring 1 tennis court back to Border Park
Net Pickleball Courts (+6)
Net Tennis Courts (0)
El Cerrito Park Border Park
13 Alternative Options Summary
Option 1
Status Quo
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
(Original 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 (RECOMMENDED)
Pros • No cost
• Keeps the 2
tennis
courts at
El Cerrito
• Allows time
to evaluate
the impact
of new
private pay
pickleball
courts at
Eagle Glen
Golf Club
• Low cost to
convert
tennis court
than build
new
pickleball
courts
($16,000
each)
• Retains 1
tennis court
at El Cerrito
• Preferred
location by
pickleball
community
• Low cost to
convert tennis
courts than
build new
courts
($16,000 each)
• Preferred
location by
pickleball
community
• Adds 8 new
pickleball
courts to
improve LOS
per the PRMP
• Retains both
tennis courts
at El Cerrito
• Preferred
location for
pickleball
community
• No conflict
between Tennis
& Pickleball
uses
• Adds 12 new
pickleball
courts, reaching
the LOS per the
PRMP
• Preferred
location by
pickleball
community
• Good per court
cost ($91,483
each)
• 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
• Achieves PRMP LOS for
Pickleball and Tennis
• Good per court cost
($150,000 each)
Cons • Does not
meet PRMP
LOS for
Pickleball
• Removes 1
tennis court
at El Cerrito
• Only provides
4 new
pickleball
courts (vs.
12)
• Reduces the
overall # of
Tennis courts
in the city to
17 vs. 18, 1
short of the
desired LOS.
• Only provides
4 new
pickleball
courts (vs.
12)
• High cost for
4 courts
($243,000
each)
• Removes tennis
courts at El
Cerrito
• Reduces the
overall # of
Tennis courts in
the city to 17
vs. 18, 1 short
of the desired
• Removes 1 tennis court
at El Cerrito
• Costs approx. $100k
more than original CIP
project
August 6, 2025 Meeting
Recap
o Differing views provided in support and opposition of the project from the tennis and pickleball communities
o Varying levels of interest expressed by Council for options 3, 4 & 5 o City Council directed staff to:
• Continue pause on project
• Evaluate impact of new pickleball courts at Eagle Glen Golf Club • Identify alternative options, including:
• Utilizing space in corner of El Cerrito Park near freeway • Returning tennis to Border Park
• Return to City Council with an update
14 Eagle Glen Golf Club
New Pickleball Club o Opened September 2025 o 17 new outdoor pickleball courts o Pay to play Impacts on Border Park pickleball courts o July 2025 (prior to Eagle Glen courts opening) o 55 players avg. on Sat. @ 9am o 59 players avg. on Wed. @ 7pm o October 2025 (after Eagle Glen courts opening) o 64 players avg. on Sat. @ 9am o 62 players avg. on Wed. @ 7pm 15 16
New Options
17 El Cerrito Park
Reference Slide (Options 1–3)
1. Northwest corner of park*
2. Potential additional parking
3. Existing tennis courts
4. Vacant parcel
5. Existing basketball courts
1 2
3 45
*Not suitable for pickleball due to proximity to
homes; per the PRMP, pickleball courts should be at
least 350 ft. away from nearest residence.
18 New Option 6
a. Construct 12 new pickleball courts at El Cerrito Park tennis courts AND vacant parcel b. Convert 6 pickleball courts at Border Park back to 2 tennis courts
1. Option to retain four remaining pickleball courts or convert these courts back to basketball Net Pickleball Courts (+2 to +6)
Net Tennis Courts (0)
El Cerrito & Border Parks
a b
19 New Option 7
a. Construct 12 new pickleball courts at El Cerrito Park tennis courts AND vacant parcel b. Relocate 2 tennis courts to northwest corner of El Cerrito Park c. Construct additional parking at El Cerrito Park
Net Pickleball Courts (+12)
Net Tennis Courts (0)
El Cerrito Park
a b c
20 New Option 8
a. Construct 11 new pickleball courts at El Cerrito Park basketball courts AND vacant parcel b. Relocate basketball courts to northwest corner of El Cerrito Park c. Construct additional parking at El Cerrito Park
Net Pickleball Courts (+11)
Net Tennis Courts (0)
c
El Cerrito Park
a b
21 New Option 9
a. Construct 10 new pickleball courts at Butterfield Park Net Pickleball Courts (+10)
Net Tennis Courts (0)
Butterfield Park
New Options Summary
22 Option 6
a. Construct 12 new pickleball courts on El Cerrito Park tennis courts AND vacant parcel
b. Convert Border Park back to 2 tennis courts; (option to retain 4 pickleball courts or convert back to basketball court) Option 7
a. Construct 12 new pickleball courts on El Cerrito Park tennis courts AND vacant parcel
b. Relocate tennis courts to northwest corner of El Cerrito Park
c. Construct more parking at El Cerrito Park
Option 8
a. Construct 11 new pickleball courts on El Cerrito Park basketball courts AND vacant parcel
b. Relocate basketball courts to northwest corner of El Cerrito Park
c. Construct additional parking at El Cerrito Park
Option 9
Construct 10 new pickleball courts at Butterfield Park
Pros
• Minimal cost to convert
tennis courts vs. build
new courts
• Preferred location by
pickleball community
• Maintains current number
of tennis courts in
Corona
• Alleviates impacts from
pickleball in Border Park
neighborhoods
• Minimal cost to convert
tennis courts vs. build
new courts
• Preferred location by
pickleball community
• Maintains current number
of tennis courts in
Corona
• Keeps tennis courts at
El Cerrito Park
• Preferred location by
pickleball community
• Maintains current number
of tennis courts in
Corona
• Keeps tennis courts at El
Cerrito Park
• Does not impact other
park uses
• Maintains current number
of tennis courts in
Corona
• Keeps tennis courts at
El Cerrito Park
• Butterfield Park located
far away from
residential areas; no
neighborhood impacts
Cons
• Parking impacts at El
Cerrito Park
• Removes tennis courts
from El Cerrito Park
• Higher cost to construct
parking and relocate
tennis courts
• Adds additional uses to
a high programmed park
• Higher cost to construct
parking and relocate
basketball courts
• Adds additional uses to a
high programmed park
• Location not preferred
by pickleball community
Net
Court
s
Pickleball (+2 to +6)
Tennis (0)
Pickleball (+12)
Tennis (0)
Pickleball (+11)
Tennis (0)
Pickleball (+10)
Tennis (0)
CostTotal: $1,200,000
a+b: $1,899,750
c:
a+b: $1,947,000
c:
Total: $2,345,450
23 Cost Comparison
0 64,000
128,000
972,000
1,097,802 1,200,000 1,200,000
2,345,450
0 500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
3,500,000
4,000,000
4,500,000
Option 1 Option 2a Option 2b Option 3 Option 4 Option 5 Option 6 Option 7 Option 8 Option 9 Parking
Courts
3,951,948
Recommended
Original CIP Project
3,999,198
24 Per-Court Cost Comparison
$0
$16,000 $16,000
$243,000
$91,483
$150,000
$100,000
$329,329*
$333,267*
$234,545
0 50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
300000
350000
Option 1 Option 2a Option 2b Option 3 Option 4 Option 5 Option 6 Option 7 Option 8 Option 9 *Note. Per Court cost for option 7 and 8 includes the cost for the new parking lot Recommended
Original CIP Project
Funding Gap for New Options
Pickleball Facility Budget Allocation
FY26 CIP = $1,097,802
New Options
• Option 6:
• Est. cost: $1,200,000
• Funding gap: $102,198
• Option 7:
• Est. cost: $3,951,948
• Funding gap: $2,854,146
25 • Option 8:
• Est. cost: $3,999,198
• Funding gap: $2,901,396
• Option 9:
• Est. cost: $2,345,450
• Funding gap: $1,247,648
FY 26 Park CIP Projects
26 General Fund projects to cut to pay for additional costs of Options 7, 8, & 9:
o Auburndale Park Amenities Improvements - $1,522,171
o Promenade Park Improvements - $1,043,779
o Park Playground Replacements - $850,000
o River Road Park Improvements - $550,000
o Promenade Park Musco Lighting - $475,000
o Park Shade Installations - $400,000
27 The Ask
That the City Council provide direction on its
preferred option for CIP FC-2026-05 (Pickleball
Facility at El Cerrito Park)
27 Questions
? 951-739-4985
[email protected]
www.CoronaCA.gov
City of Corona 28