GUNNISON—Gunnison City officials heard support for youth-oriented recreation and skepticism about cost during an April 15 public hearing on a proposed sports court project tied to the city’s 2026 Community Development Block Grant application.

The submitted project would remove the old tennis courts and skate park area at Gunnison Park and build a new sports court with three pickleball courts and basketball courts.

Mayor Mike Wanner opened the hearing, which was intended to gather comment on the project scope, implementation, and effects on residents.

During the presentation, Gunnison City Administrator Dennis Marker said the city is seeking funding for a project that would replace the aging court area with three pickleball courts and three half-court basketball areas, along with related lighting, fencing, and site upgrades. The existing court surface is roughly 50 years old, and city officials said the site has drainage problems, cracking, fencing issues, trip hazards and exposed wiring that would need to be addressed.

Marker said the total project estimate discussed at the hearing was about $900,000. The city requested about $250,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding and discussed roughly $440,000 through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, along with city set-asides, July 4 auction proceeds, donations, and other grant efforts.

Gunnison leadership expects to move into design with Sunrise Engineering after funding is secured, then bid the project later, with construction targeted for spring 2027.

Hearing attendee Carlton Jensen told the council he appreciated the chance to comment but questioned whether Gunnison should spend that much on pickleball and basketball courts. He said he believed the city should focus more on affordable recreation options that serve children and teenagers. Jensen also said the city removed the skate park in 2023 with the understanding that it would be replaced and argued that many residents wanted either to keep the skate park or improve it rather than replace it with pickleball courts.

Jensen pointed to recreation projects in other communities; especially a park in Salina that he said includes pickleball courts, a pavilion, playground features, and a pump track. He urged the city to consider a smaller, less expensive approach, such as two pickleball courts paired with a pump track that could serve children who ride bikes and scooters.

His son, William Jensen, then addressed the council. In comments prepared ahead of the meeting, William said he did not support turning the skate park area into pickleball and basketball courts. He told the council the skate park had been a fun place to ride his bike and said other children used the ramps whenever he went there. He also said many children at school did not like the idea of replacing the skate park and suggested the city either bring back ramps, improve them or consider a pump track like the one in Salina.

“I think the city should put ramps back,” William Jensen said. “Maybe they should get better things than they had.”

Council members discussed the pump track idea and whether it would serve enough users. Stella Hill asked questions about the Salina example, including whether that city had to remove anything before building its park and how tall the sides of the pump track were. The discussion reflected differing views about whether Gunnison should prioritize facilities for skate-style recreation or add more basketball space.

Near the end of the meeting, Hill said more children in Gunnison play basketball than ride at a skate park. Another council member countered that Gunnison already has basketball options at the high school and churches.

After the council received public comment and discussed it at length, they voted to close the hearing and adjourn. The hearing did not produce a final vote on design, scope, or spending for the project.