Augusta staff recommend public input after wide cost estimates for Warren Road pickleball conversion

City recreation staff told the Augusta-Richmond County Commission on March 31 that converting or resurfacing courts at the Warren Road community center to support pickleball could range from relatively modest repairs to six-figure construction, and recommended a public informational meeting before the commission chooses a path.

The presentation by Recreation Director Williams and ISM representative Mr. Latson laid out three options: targeted repairs and restriping (estimated construction cost cited by staff at roughly $14,000 for cracks and sealing, $143,200 total in one scenario), a full conversion and rebuild (staff previously cited a total project estimate of $542,400, with construction-only figures as low as $39,000 in some line items), and a lower-cost resurfacing approach (roughly $100,000). Staff also compared the city estimate to another municipality’s per-court figure — Hetsba’s reported $35,000 per court versus a $51,000-per-court figure for Warren Road because of different scopes and sizes.

Resident Mike Hollis told commissioners he had solicited private vendors and delivered a sharply lower quote for a comparable conversion: "the total I got was 181,000," he said, urging the city to seek competitive bids and to prioritize access for children and families.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the city needs a firm sense of community demand before obligating funds. Several commissioners supported holding public meetings after the Masters Tournament season so neighbors, frequent players and senior users can weigh in on whether the city should resurface, convert indoor space, or pursue a larger rebuild.

Staff response and next steps: Recreation staff agreed to organize public informational meetings and to gather additional vendor details (including the local contractor information that Hepsera said it used). Commissioners emphasized the city should use the meetings to identify funding sources and produce a schedule before executing work. No contract award or spending decision was made at the meeting; the item was received as information.