Tom Petty Park Renovations

Construction at Tom Petty Park is nearing completion, with several final improvements underway.

The pickleball courts will be temporarily closed from May 11–15 for asphalt repairs and repainting. During this same timeframe, portions of the main parking lot will be closed in phases for surface improvements and restriping, allowing for continued but limited access. Visitors are asked to use caution when entering and exiting the parking lot due to temporary lane closures.

In the coming weeks, demolition and repair of the stormwater flumes along the sidewalk north of the tennis courts will take place. Access to the tennis courts is not expected to be impacted during this work.

Lighting installation has begun along the multi-use path. Additional concrete and asphalt repairs are also required on the southern portion of the trail. Temporary detours will be in place to safely route park visitors during construction.

The new bathroom building is approaching substantial completion. Installation of furnishings and partitions is underway, with final trim work and painting to follow. A new sidewalk connection along 16th Avenue is also being constructed. Once construction is complete, sod and landscaping will be installed around the building.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, June 6 at 10 a.m. This event is open to the public, and additional details will be shared soon. We look forward to celebrating these improvements with the community!

The new pickleball courts at Tom Petty Park are now officially open to the public!

While construction continues in other areas of the park, some court sections may temporarily close as crews complete final improvements. The new restroom building is progressing well and remains on schedule.

The multipurpose field will remain temporarily fenced to allow the newly installed sod time to properly establish.

A community ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for the spring once all renovations are complete.

Great news! The tennis courts at Tom Petty Park are back open, featuring new lighting, a new access walkway and a second entry gate on the north side to improve access and minimize disruptions to play.

Fencing on the north side that was temporarily removed for plantings and concrete work has now been fully replaced.

Additional Improvements in others area of the park are continuing:

• Multi-use path: A new section is complete, with irrigation and landscaping coming soon
• Pickleball courts: Expected to open for public use in April
• Restrooms & Concessions: Work on the new restroom and concessions building is moving forward. Temporary restrooms are available in the southeast corner of the parking lot, and the new facilities are scheduled for completion by mid-2026.

The new pickleball courts are taking shape. The base layer is in place, fence posts are installed and court lighting is up. On the east side of the project site, the new section of the multi-use path has been completed, with irrigation and landscaping soon to follow.

For everyone’s safety, the tennis courts are temporarily closed. A portion of the fencing has been removed to allow for saw-cutting and concrete work along the court perimeter. The courts are expected to reopen between mid-December and early January.

The current schedule targets substantial completion in late January. However, final inspections, punch-list work, holidays and weather can affect the timeline. We anticipate the new pickleball courts will open for public use in February-March 2026.

Renovations to the park restrooms are also moving forward. Demolition of the existing building is complete and temporary restrooms are available in the southeast corner of the parking lot. The new restroom facilities are scheduled to be completed by mid-2026.

City Commissioners voted against the proposed parking lot expansion.

City Commissioners approved an agreement with D.E. Scorpio Corporation for the Tom Petty Park restroom, concessions and storage building project.

Construction is picking up at Tom Petty Park. While permitting requirements briefly paused dewatering and excavation of the stormwater pond—a critical-path item—those permits are now secured, and work has resumed.

What’s happening this month

• Excavation of the stormwater pond and installation of the liner
• Installation of stormwater structures and piping

Looking ahead
The stormwater design may be slightly adjusted to integrate the proposed parking lot expansion, pending direction from the City Commission.

Pedestrian pathways may be temporarily disrupted while staking for the multi-use trail widening is performed. This allows the city’s Urban Forester to assess potential impacts to tree roots and verify that the alignment conforms to the approved plans.

Upcoming meeting
The parking lot expansion project is scheduled to be discussed with the City Commission on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, at 10 a.m.

City staff, in collaboration with Kimley Horn, LLC, is conducting a parking study to anticipate parking demand following completion of the park improvements. Key drivers under review include the addition of eight pickleball courts and expanded programming enabled by new lighting at the multipurpose field. Staff is compiling data on current programming and associated parking demand, baseline demand from non-programmed park use, and pickleball demand observed at other city parks. Staff is also evaluating the feasibility of a joint-use parking agreement with St. Patrick Catholic Church and options for managed overflow. Using these inputs, Kimley-Horn, LLC will perform a trip-generation analysis and recommend the appropriate number of parking spaces, with associated methodology and justification, to support the new park improvements.

In response to the July 2 Community Workshop, Wild Spaces & Public Places has taken proactive steps to enhance transparency, improve communication and keep the community informed at every stage of the project. This dedicated webpage has been developed to serve as a central hub for information, including materials from past meetings, ongoing project updates and details about upcoming events and future developments. It will be updated regularly to ensure timely and consistent communication with the public.