Manteno approves $6,289 for pickleball court lighting

Manteno village trustees voted 6-0 on Monday to install lighting on six pickleball courts in Lucille Thies Park. The decision authorizes the village to spend $6,289 for the project. The board expects the lights to be operational by the end of this year.

The project involves mounting seven light fixtures on existing poles at the park, which is located in the Park West neighborhood. The village originally sought bids from three specialized lighting companies. Those estimates ranged from $115,000 to $140,000. A fourth company, Tweener LED Court Lighting from Florida, bid $54,500 for the lights only. Trustees determined these costs were higher than the village anticipated.

Trustee Joel Gesky reported that KPI Electric of Kankakee entered the bidding process after the initial high estimates. Gesky expected the local firm to bid around $20,000. KPI Electric returned a quote of $7,727 for the installation work. Paddle Together Kankakee County, a local pickleball club, offered to contribute its registration fees from a recent six-week league. That contribution amounted to $1,438, reducing the village’s share of the cost to $6,289.

The village currently operates with a budget deficit. Trustees noted that the final cost was low enough to cover despite the red ink in the municipal budget. They concluded the benefit of the lighting outweighed the expense. Trustee Mike Barry stated that the courts are frequently full. He said he drives by on weekends and sees the area packed with players.

Jeff Dexter, president of Paddle Together, said the lighting addresses a common issue where play extends past sunset. The club has 813 members. Dexter said the donation was not restricted to lighting, but he was pleased it would be used for that purpose. He noted that the sport is one of the fastest-growing in the nation and that the lights create more opportunities for players, including younger participants.

The park currently has four older courts that will not receive lighting. Trustees plan to change the park’s closing time to 10 p.m. On weeknights and weekends. This change aligns with the switch from daylight saving time to standard time, which brings darkness earlier. The park is currently open until 11 p.m. On weekdays and midnight on weekends. Trustees said they would turn the lights off at closing time.

Dexter said the autumn weather has allowed outdoor play to continue past the typical late-October end of the season. He said a warm forecast could extend the season to Christmas. He acknowledged that the new lighting is not perfect for the sport but described it as a start. He said the health benefits of the game have changed many lives and that getting more people to play is important.

The board members agreed that if residents have concerns about the light levels, the village can adjust the operating hours. The typical outdoor season runs from early April to late October. The new lights will serve the six newest courts at the six-acre facility. The project is the only major capital improvement approved by the board this week.