SOUTH WHIDBEY: Parks and rec board discusses project bids, levy

Kira Erickson reports from the South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District meeting of Wed, May 21, 2025 for the South Whidbey Record. Read the whole story.

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.

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.

They Said It

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.