South Whidbey Parks and Recreation commissioners are gearing up for a busy summer. Two major projects are set to go out to bid, and a maintenance and operations levy is planned for the November ballot.

During a meeting last week, the board of commissioners discussed these topics.

In June, the parks and rec district’s outdoor pickleball courts will go out to bid, with plans to sign an award contract by the end of July and construction slated to begin August. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for November.

The goal is to build six courts, though depending on cost, that may need to be reduced to four. The project is funded by a $452,000 grant from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office and over $50,000 in community donations raised by Whidbey Island Pickleball.

A much larger and complex project, the South Whidbey Aquatic Recreation Center is also going out to bid next week. Voters approved a $27 million bond in 2023 for the pool. A levy will help fund operating costs.

If the district receives an acceptable bid, the board will approve a construction contract in late July and the project will break ground in September. With this timeline, construction is expected to be complete in February 2027 and the pool will open a few months afterward.

However, if the bids come in too high or not at all, the project will have to go back out to bid in January 2026. In this scenario, construction would begin April 2026 and conclude October 2027.

No matter which path the district ends up taking, Executive Director Brian Tomisser recommended asking the voters to approve a levy during the upcoming general election. But the district won’t know the exact levy amount until about the end of July, shortly before the deadline to get the measure on the November ballot.

Besides providing operational funds, the levy will allow the district to hire important staff roles, including an HR manager and an aquatics manager and facility coordinator.