St. Pete Approves $1.16M Woodlawn Park Courts Upgrade
The city council put money behind a new set of tennis, pickleball, and multi-use courts shared with Woodlawn Elementary.
The short version
In June 2025, the St. Petersburg City Council approved $1.16 million to rebuild the courts at Woodlawn Park. The plan adds six pickleball courts and rebuilds two tennis courts, a basketball court, a racquetball court, a practice wall, and a new covered multi-use court shared with Woodlawn Elementary. The money comes from the city's Weeki Wachee Fund, and the site was chosen partly because it sits away from homes, easing the noise concerns that often follow pickleball.
In June 2025, the St. Petersburg City Council approved $1.16 million to rebuild the courts at Woodlawn Park, with six new pickleball courts as the centerpiece. The plan, at 1450 16th Street North, also renews the park's tennis, basketball, and racquetball courts and adds a covered multi-use court shared with the neighboring Woodlawn Elementary. It is a funded plan rather than a finished project, so the courts will follow over the construction timeline.
St. Petersburg keeps investing in neighborhood courts like these; the Woodlawn Park plan adds tennis and pickleball.
What was approved
The council signed off on a full court rebuild. Parks Director Mike Jefferis laid out the additions: two tennis courts, six pickleball courts, one basketball court, a practice wall, and racquetball space, plus a covered multi-use court that school staff had asked for. St. Pete Catalyst reported the approval, and the Tampa Bay Times covered the plan and its pickleball component.
The money comes from the city's Weeki Wachee Fund, which was created when St. Petersburg sold a 440-acre recreational tract it had owned in Hernando County. Using that fund keeps the project from competing with the general parks budget.
Why Woodlawn
Two things made Woodlawn Park a sensible choice. First, it sits away from homes, which matters more than it sounds: pickleball's distinctive pop is a frequent source of noise complaints when courts go in next to houses, and a site with a buffer avoids that fight. Second, the park shares space with Woodlawn Elementary, so a covered multi-use court serves both the school during the day and the public after hours. The city framed it as a way to ease crowding at busier pickleball sites while building something the neighborhood and the school both use.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is happening at Woodlawn Park in St. Petersburg?
In June 2025, the St. Petersburg City Council approved $1.16 million to rebuild the courts at Woodlawn Park. The plan adds six pickleball courts and renews two tennis courts, a basketball court, a racquetball court, a practice wall, and a new covered multi-use court.
How much will the Woodlawn Park upgrade cost and who is paying?
The upgrade is budgeted at $1.16 million, funded by the City of St. Petersburg's Weeki Wachee Fund, which was created from the sale of a 440-acre recreational tract the city owned in Hernando County.
How many pickleball courts will Woodlawn Park have?
The approved plan adds six pickleball courts at Woodlawn Park, along with two tennis courts, a basketball court, a racquetball court, and a covered multi-use court requested by the adjacent Woodlawn Elementary.
Why was Woodlawn Park chosen for pickleball?
City staff pointed to Woodlawn Park sitting away from homes, which helps avoid the noise complaints that pickleball can bring in residential areas, and to its shared use with Woodlawn Elementary, making it a practical dual-purpose site.
Clayton Walker
Founder
Founder of TB Let's Play and lifelong tennis player. Building the community resource Tampa Bay deserves for finding courts, connecting with players, and making the most of our region's incredible tennis and pickleball scene.
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