Norris to seek bids for $750k sports park
The new $750,000-plus Norris Sports Complex will be built in this area next to the Norris Community Building on Chestnut Drive, replacing the current restroom building and tennis courts, while adding pickleball courts and a basketball court. (photo:G. Chambers Williams III )
“The target date is in October, and being able to start construction next spring,” Whited told The Courier News on Tuesday morning. “We estimate that it might take about six months to complete, depending on weather.”
He said the city has $637,500 in the budget for construction costs, which would be paid in part by a state recreation grant and city funds. Deadline for completing the project is January 2028, according to the grant provisions.
The project as it stands now calls for adding new restrooms, two pickleball courts, and a basketball court, while putting two new tennis courts in the space where there already are two courts.
There’s also the possibility of building two additional dedicated pickleball courts, for a total of four, but that scenario is not likely due to the constraints of the current budget for the project.
The City Council in April voted to send the so-called Norris Sports Complex plan to the engineers to develop a bid package for the work, for which the city already has $750,000 budgeted – including a $375,000 state recreation grant.
The plan the council approved was one of two proposals that were presented to council members and residents during a parks workshop a week prior to the April council meeting, conducted by Whited.
Council members approved a plan with an estimated top price tag of $1.035 million, which as shown would include four new outdoor pickleball courts, two upgraded tennis courts that could also be used for pickleball, a high-school regulation-size basketball court, and a new restroom building.
To cut down on the expenses to bring the project closer to the budgeted amount, the additional two pickleball courts are being left out for now, Whited said, saving about $100,000.
In addition, he said the city would be able to cut another $100,000 from the original estimate by doing some demolition work at the site in-house, rather than contracting it out. That would include removal of the existing restrooms.
“As the Norris Sports Complex project moves into the next stage, the city will be working with the project engineer to develop final construction drawings and bid documents for the selected layout,” Whited said.
“Once that work is completed, the project will be put out for competitive bids so the city can determine the actual construction cost.
“The City has already committed $375,000 from its General Fund reserves to match the $375,000 grant awarded through the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
In other council news:
• Whited told the council that a request for bids for roof repairs on the gymnasium in the Norris Community Building would go out in September, and that the target is about $100,000.
The council has already appropriated $185,000 for total gym repairs, including the roof, some siding replacement, and a new air-conditioning system.
“The roof is most significant part,” Whited said Tuesday morning. “We can get the siding done without bids. The air-conditioning will come after the roof work is completed, but will be done before spring.”
• The council approved 5-0 a resolution presented by Councilman Travis Honeycutt “authorizing the pursuit” of federal and state grants to help fix roads.
Honeycutt said he would be meeting with state and federal representatives to try to find grants that could help with repaving.
• Mayor Chris Mitchell reminded the council that there will be a workshop open to the public at 6 p.m. Sept. 8, seeking input on a “community visioning” survey underway by the UT Municipal and Technical Advisory Service on behalf of the city.
