Bartholomew County considering bids for pickleball complex

Bartholomew County is considering bids to construct a pickleball complex at Dunn Stadium next to the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds.

According to the county commissioners, the goal is to build a tournament quality, 12-court pickleball complex at the park, the only courts on the west side of Columbus. In November, commissioners estimated that the cost could be up to $600,000 for the facility.

This week, eight bids were opened for the project with two alternative options including a reinforced concrete surface instead of asphalt and furnishings at the site such as spectator bleachers. Base bids ranged from a low of just under $531,000 from Case Construction with a high bid of more than $837,000.

Commissioners took the bids under advisement.

Commissioners also ratified a proposal with Patriot Engineering to provide services at the pickleball site to make sure the fill dirt in the area is properly compacted which will involve soil samples and supervising that phase of the work. The county is using its own workers to prepare the site, at a substantial cost savings, but there is a substantial slope in the area. The contract is expected to last about three weeks at a cost not to exceed $15,000.