News photo by Josh Jambor Bay View Park visitors enjoy a sunny afternoon of pickleball on Friday. Construction is scheduled to begin Monday on a new pavilion located between the basketball courts and the pickleball courts.

ALPENA – After months of anticipation, the City of Alpena announced Friday that construction of the long-awaited pavilion at Bay View Sportsplex will begin on Monday. The project is expected to take approximately four weeks, weather permitting.

The pavilion will be built between the basketball and pickleball courts at Bay View Park. During construction, there may be temporary closures to the courts and/or parking lot. City officials are urging residents to exercise patience, with barricades and signage to be placed as needed.

The Bay View Sportsplex represents a major community-led upgrade to one of Alpena’s largest parks along the Lake Huron shoreline. The project, spearheaded by the Friends of Alpena Courts (FAC) in partnership with the City of Alpena, replaced aging and dilapidated tennis and basketball courts with modern, regulation-size facilities.

Phase one which was completed in 2025 and opened to the public included three regulation-size tennis courts, five regulation-size pickleball courts, three regulation-size basketball courts, new asphalt surfaces, lighting, fencing and other infrastructure improvements.

According to a story published by The News in August, the approximate cost of phase one was $340,000 and funded through local donations, a $100,000 grant from the Alpena County Youth and Recreation Commission, and other support including matching funds from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).

The timber-frame pavilion, which is part of phase two of the project, will add a signature architectural element and shaded gathering space for players, spectators, and community events.

Local builders Mike Kendziorski and his son Spence of Legacy Builders designed and will construct the pavilion. The structure will feature timber-frame construction using western red cedar beams, cedar shake roofing, and a distinctive copper-topped peak.

Some materials include salvaged telephone poles from last year’s ice storm and the old Bay View Park. The design draws inspiration from the Kendziorski’s previous work, particularly the covered bridge at Sportsman’s Park (Duck Park), which Mike built with help from his family using hand-hewn red pine.

In February, FAC board member Ron Fusina noted that Spence Kendziorski and his team had already prepared much of the wood, keeping the project on track. Fusina described the pavilion as “the cherry on top of the sundae” for the Sportsplex.

City of Alpena Engineer Steve Shultz asked the public to pay attention to any signage posted and to avoid the area while construction is ongoing.

“Please be aware of any signage posted and give the contractors the necessary space to do their jobs, it’s not a city contractor, and this is done through a lot of help from FOC and Ron Fusina has been pretty instrumental in the project,” Shultz said. “The news release is to make the public aware of the situation in case there are any disruptions as a result of construction on the pavilion.”

The project has enjoyed strong local support, with residents and officials expressing pride in transforming underused park space into a vibrant recreational asset.

This next step brings the Bay View Sportsplex closer to full realization, promising enhanced recreational opportunities for Alpena residents and visitors alike.

Updates on progress will be shared as construction advances.