Valley View Park Tennis Courts

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Valley View Park is an 80-acre community park in West Des Moines. After adding an aquatic center and basketball courts, the next step in the City’s master plan for the park was to add two tennis courts. A one-acre site was chosen on the northwest corner of the park. As the courts are near a major road to the west, large berms with native plantings were created on two sides of the courts to add aesthetics and privacy.

The two asphalt courts are surrounded by a 10-foot-tall vinyl chain link fence embedded in a one-foot concrete curb, which gives the asphalt a solid boundary. The asphalt itself uses aggregate brought in from out of state, as Iowa materials contain pyrite which could shorten the courts’ lifespan. The courts are illuminated by four Musco LED sports lights that are controlled by a push button. The pedestal also has receptacles so users can charge their phones or set up scoreboards, and an orange light on top flashes to let players know that the timer is about to run out. Pickle ball lines were included on the courts to increase their usability for the community.

Valley View Park is the largest community park in West Des Moines, and with its connection to several bike trails needed to improve its amenities for visitors. The addition of low-maintenance tennis/pickle ball courts that can be used at any hour have increased the park’s benefit to the community.