FOLEY – Work is underway to build a new pickleball courts and an access road to the project, Foley Mayor Ralph Hellmich said Wednesday.

The project is taking place near the Foley Farmers’ and Fishermen’s Market off Miflin Road.

“We have started our pickleball construction,” Hellmich said. “It’s down at the Farmers Market, there will be nine courts. It’s a long-awaited project.”

The Foley City Council voted in May to start construction on the road leading to the site. The first phase of the road project is being built by Foley Public Works Department crews. The cost of that phase of the work will be $83,145.

The city will go out for bids on asphalt to be put in later. Public Works crews will also place the asphalt on the roadway.

Hellmich said the work on the road project is proceeding.

“We have started construction,” he said. “Our people will be prepping the site and building the little connecting road all the way over from Stabler Lane over to to Farmers Lane right there where the Farmer’s Market is. So that project’s moving along.”

The pickleball courts will be built using money from impact fees paid to the city by developers. The road work and construction of the court parking lot will be paid for with other city funds.