Rainier Vista Park pickleball courts on track for fall 2027 opening

The City of Lacey is preparing Rainier Vista Park's recreation improvements for permitting after completing another planning milestone — with construction scheduled for summer 2027 and the new pickleball courts targeted to open in fall 2027.

Lacey Project Manager Bogdan Tirtu presented a 90 percent complete site plan to the Lacey Parks, Culture & Recreation Board at a meeting on August 5, 2026, after the board unanimously approved the initial concept in April. The project remains within its $919,618 budget, funded by $500,000 from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, $25,000 from the Thurston County Pickleball Association, and $5,000 from the PARC Foundation of Thurston County.

What's planned

The project calls for four pickleball courts — three standard courts and a larger championship court that can accommodate wheelchair play and tournaments. Outdoor pingpong tables, spectator bleachers, player benches, windscreens, and drainage improvements are also in the plan, along with ballfield safety netting (half included in the base bid, with the remainder an alternate bid item).

Timeline

• Final plan and permitting: January 2027
• Bidding: February 2027
• Construction: summer 2027 (beginning after the park's July 3 event)
• Target opening for the new courts: October 2027

The base construction estimate came down to $711,075 (from $731,264 in April), plus a $75,000 contingency.