MARLBOROUGH – A pickleball facility is closer to coming to Airport Boulevard.
On Monday, Oct. 21, the City Council approved a special permit to allow Ambidextrous Ventures LLC to construct the pickleball facility.
The application is still subject to a site plan review.
Plans for the facility call for a single-story, 19,950-square-foot building with six indoor pickleball courts; one pickleball practice court; a pickleball pro shop; office; restrooms; locker rooms; lounge; sale of beverages and pre-packaged snacks; viewing area; and one outdoor pickleball court.
RELATED CONTENT: Urban Affairs OKs pickleball facility plans
There will also be 76 parking spaces, a picnic area and other accessory uses to support the pickleball complex, including indoor ping-pong, foosball, darts and other activities conducted during wait times.
As part of the conditions, the exterior lights will be downward facing and shielded to minimize impacts on neighboring properties; there will not be any lights on the outdoor court. The applicant will also provide landscape screening for abutters.
The facility will be allowed to operate seven days a week, from 5:30 a.m. to midnight. Pickleball players will be able to use the outdoor court from dawn (no earlier than 7 a.m.) to dusk (no later than 9 p.m.), and it will be locked when it’s not open for use.
The pickleball facility will be able to serve wine and malt beverages, provided that its staff obtain a license from the facility. The beverages would be consumed inside the building within spaces that are determined by the Licensing Board (except the courts), and no outside areas. Service would be limited to between 11 a.m. and midnight.
Farrell Pool
After some discussion, the council approved a transfer of $858,941 to reconstruct the wading pool at Farrell Field on Sawin Street.
The vote was 9-2.
Councilor Trey Fuccillo was one of two councilors who voted against the transfer.
“There’s been no substantial conversations about Farrell,” he said. “What is the scope of this project?”
RELATED CONTENT: Finance Committee asks to fund wading pools with free cash
Councilor Kate Robey, who also voted against it, wanted to wait until plans and cost estimates were prepared for wading pools at both Farrell and Ward Park.
However, Councilor Donald Landers wanted the Farrell project to proceed.
“I’d like to see this move along,” he said.
According to Ted Scott, interim commissioner of the Department of Public Works, the city is in the process of executing the contract with the contractor for the project. Work is expected to begin this month, though it may be suspended during the colder months and pick up in March or April, due to weather.
The project is scheduled to be done by the end of June.
