By Nolan Madden If you haven’t yet started planning leisure activities for next winter, now might be a good time to purchase that new racquetball set. The City of Holbrook may soon have you using it right here at home, as plans have moved forward for the construction of a new indoor racquetball facility this year. City Manager Ray Alley says the idea sprang from brainstorming ways to improve the city’s activity options. “In dealing with the recreation program we started, one of my goals was to get a racquetball court built, since we lost the city’s only indoor court that was at Northland Pioneer College,” he said. Alley explained that he envisions breaking ground for the new facility on the city-owned property directly west of the fitness center, beside the splash pad park. He noted that the fully enclosed court would measure roughly 20’ high by 40’ in length, but that it’s a task he feels will be better handled by a commercial builder. “At first I thought that we might consider building it with our staff in-house, but the more I’ve looked at it, I think that that’s beyond our capabilities,” said Alley. The city manager noted that a preliminary estimate for the project exceeded what he initially thought it would cost, with masonry figures alone totaling $37,000. Adding in roofing, electrical and lighting the projected grand total is $47,000, fully installed. The city council gave Alley the nod to request licensed contractor bids for construction, with funding expected to source from an end of fiscal year general fund surplus. If the city budget balances appropriately, construction would begin toward the fiscal year-end, and during the warmer summer months. The complex would open with a single indoor court during its first finished phase, with footings designed to accommodate a total of four courts in the future, if the city is able to purchase a second adjacent property and if the court is well utilized by guests. General fund monies were similarly available at the end of fiscal year 2014-15 and were utilized for the purchase of two new golf carts at the city’s Hidden Cove golfing complex. “What I expect is that we might have extra capital available for this project, provided that our engineering consulting and attorney fees don’t exceed our general fund budget this year,” Alley said. “I think the court is an asset to our community and will tie in well with our splash pad park here. The swimming pool is closed now, and the weather is too cold on the golf course in winter. It will keep kids occupied and out of trouble, and would be available for the public year-round.” The venture is a positive mile marker in the city’s long-term goals to improve its quality of life, tourism and recreational opportunities. A splash park, disc golf and walking trail were all proposed by Alley for the city in September 2014. So far, two of the three features were fully installed and operational by the end of last year, and disc golf is actively in the works.