Construction is expected to begin soon on a highly anticipated outdoor project on South Whidbey.

During a meeting last week, South Whidbey Parks and Recreation commissioners authorized the selection of a contractor to build six pickleball courts at the South Whidbey Sports Complex on Langley Road. Trico, a Burlington company that constructed the Blackburn Pickleball Pavilion at Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, submitted the lowest bid and was chosen for the project.

The new courts are funded by a $451,800 grant from the state Recreation and Conservation Office, $54,000 in community donations raised by Whidbey Island Pickleball and $8,800 from the South Whidbey Project, a nonprofit founded by three high school alumni. Executive Director Brian Tomisser explained that an additional $172,100 was allocated to the pickleball courts from other projects, bringing the total available funds to $686,700.

The dilemma the parks and rec commissioners faced was whether to include or remove certain aspects of the project to fit within the budget. The alternate bid items, as they are called, are sports court resurfacing and installing curbing around the courts. If both are accepted, Tomisser explained, that will bring the project’s contingency fund to about $27,000. Without doing the curbing, the contingency fund grows to $60,000.

Tom Fallon, the facility and grounds supervisor, said curbing will help contain the asphalt, keeping it from cracking and chipping away. He didn’t think it would make it any more difficult to clean the courts. The commissioners said they respected Fallon’s opinion on the maintenance side of things and agreed that the curbing would give the courts a more “finished” look.

Commissioner Krista Loercher said she was somewhat alarmed to have a contingency fund that is less than 5% of the project’s total budget. Commissioner Matt Simms expressed a similar sentiment, saying that it’s unrealistic it would be sufficient. But at the same time, he supported the curbing and resurfacing improvements.

Tomisser said he saw both sides, since this wasn’t something that could be added later to the courts but could also be a way to save money if not included.

In the end, the commissioners decided to include both alternate bid items, which costs $545,818. The rest of the project’s budget goes toward architect fees, Island County fees, cultural resources, a traffic study and legal fees.

Groundbreaking is planned for mid-August and the courts are expected to be complete by Halloween. Though the contract allows for 100 days, Tomisser said Trico is motivated to get things done before the weather turns.