Oak Brook board approves planning contract for Tennis Center courts rebuild amid resident calls for transparency

The Oak Brook Park District Board of Commissioners voted Jan. 19 to begin planning for a reconstruction of eight outdoor tennis courts at the Oak Brook Tennis Center and to complete engineering/permitting for a potential pickleball and parking-lot expansion.

The board approved a professional services contract with Upland Design Ltd. for a base proposal of $203,800 plus an alternate of $92,650, for a total not-to-exceed amount of $296,450. Commissioner Ivkovic Kelley moved to approve the planning contract and Commissioner Gondek seconded; Commissioners Gondek, Ivkovic Kelley and President Knitter voted yes and Commissioners Chan and Vescovi voted no.

Why it matters: district staff said the Enterprise Fund has savings to cover the Tennis Center work and emphasized the planning vote authorizes design and permitting only; staff still must go out to bid for construction. Commissioners and members of the public framed the choice as a balance of safety, demand and cost: staff described recurring repair limitations, and some commissioners said delay risks worsening conditions ahead of summer programs.

Public comments at the meeting focused heavily on the Tennis Center. Oak Brook resident and Tennis Center member Satti Sarai described the facility as a "Jewel of Oak Brook" and urged repairs to prevent injury and support quality play. A Tennis Center youth member said she was welcomed "like a family member," and several other members and residents expressed support for rebuilding the courts. Resident Tameem Mohsin requested more open court and gym availability and information about contract hours and revenue.

Board discussion and dissent: Commissioner Chan pressed for utilization data, a clear timeline and a cost-versus-repair analysis before committing to add alternates. She proposed an alternate "Option C" to invest in software to track court usage and nonresident rates to inform construction decisions. Commissioner Ivkovic Kelley and others countered that the courts are in poor condition and that planning should proceed so work can be done before summer programs; Ivkovic Kelley noted safety concerns and the practical difficulty of obtaining timely contractor support for disrepair. President Knitter emphasized the planning vote covers the design stage prior to bids and said the Tennis Center Fund can be used only for Tennis Center purposes.

Pickleball: staff recommended completing engineering and permitting for a future pickleball project at the same time to reduce costs, but acknowledged the pickleball project currently lacks committed funding; any future construction would require separate funding decisions.

Next steps: the planning contract authorizes the district to complete architectural and engineering work and move toward bidding; staff said they will follow up on public requests for additional transparency, and the board will consider project timeline and funding details in subsequent meetings. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 16, 2026.