Annandale Community’s Bold Stand: In Annandale, Virginia, a group of dedicated pickleball players at Kendale Woods Park faced an unexpected interruption during their Friday morning match. Workers from the Fairfax County Park Authority arrived to close the pickleball courts for maintenance, prompting a response from four women determined to continue their game.
The dispute unfolded as the players, refusing to leave, showed pictures of park workers dismantling pickleball nets while they were still actively playing. In protest, they staged a sit-in to prevent the workers from reconfiguring the courts solely for tennis use.
Last week, the Park Authority had announced its decision to reline and designate the courts exclusively for tennis, effective June 14th. This decision, based on noise complaints and after community consultations, disappointed many pickleball enthusiasts who frequent the park.
The statement made by the Park Authority made the following statement:
“After careful consideration, the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) has made the decision to move forward with relining and signing the courts at Kendale Woods Park for tennis only, beginning Friday, June 14th.
This deliberation comes after welcomed and informative conversations with you, members of the neighborhood surrounding Kendale Woods Park, and with residents directly adjacent to the park who are impacted. While we appreciate and share your sentiments for Kendale Woods Park, this decision is true to FCPA’s mission to enrich the quality of life for all members of Fairfax County. FCPA is appreciative of receiving your understanding and encourage you to make use of the 16 pickleball courts located within five miles of Kendale Woods Park.
We understand this is not the decision you were hoping for, but FCPA is committed to finding other opportunities for pickleball in the immediate area, including the installation of two dedicated pickleball courts a mile away at Mason District Park in 2025.”
Marjery Gehan, one of the protesters, expressed frustration over what she perceives as inadequate community input in the decision-making process. She and three fellow pickleball advocates have taken legal action, filing an injunction to challenge the changes until all voices are heard.
“It’s kind of a slap in the face to the neighbors to not be able to use the courts the way we want to use them and how we paid for it,” she explained.
Responding to inquiries, a spokesman for the Fairfax County Park Authority clarified that no injunction has been filed as claimed by the pickleball players.
The situation remains tense as the community debates the future use of Kendale Woods Park’s recreational facilities, with tensions between tennis and pickleball enthusiasts at the forefront.
News in Brief : Annandale Community’s Bold Stand
In Annandale, Virginia, pickleball players at Kendale Woods Park protested the closure of courts for tennis conversion, defying maintenance workers. The Fairfax County Park Authority’s decision followed noise complaints and consultations, angering pickleball devotees who claim inadequate community input. Despite claims of legal action, no injunction has been filed. Tensions persist between tennis and pickleball supporters over the park’s recreational future.
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There was no community input in this situation which is why there was such a big uproar. FCPA’s executive director made a solo decision to remove the courts based on A compliant received in 2022, there have not been multiple complaints. These courts were relined in 2023 post FCPA’s pickleball guidelines and post the singular compliant. Additionally, FCPA has guidelines for handling established courts in residential areas and they did not follow these guidelines, again which is why there is the uproar. FCPA didn’t receive the injunction because they left their office unattended so they couldn’t be served papers, but they were served a few days later when the office was reopened.