Sand Volleyball Court Proposed For Willow Heights Park

OAK CREEK, WI — A proposal to construct a sand volleyball court at Willow Heights Park will be up for Common Council consideration on Tuesday.

The possibility comes after the idea was proposed by a resident to the Parks and Recreation Commission in 2020. A 50-foot by 40-foot court was proposed, according to common council documents. Because of wetlands, the park would only be able to accommodate the court in a certain area immediately adjacent to the existing basketball court, city records say.

To construct the court, six mature trees would have to be removed, alongside dirt, and 300 tons of sand may be required. The cost could be up to $28,000, and proposal documents say park impact fees could be used for that cost.

According to city documents, a staff analysis found volleyball courts in the area are already currently underutilized, plan documents show. Out of the nine courts in the area, seven are sand. If the new court is approved Tuesday, common council documents say the Parks and Recreation Commission may want to evaluate if other underutilized facilities can be repurposed.

The proposal states construction of a court at Willow Heights would be done using DPW staff and resources.