Harwich Pickleball Courts Dispute: Managing the pickleball courts at Brooks Park and the 204 Sisson Cultural Center has become increasingly challenging as the sport’s popularity surges. Recent complaints have highlighted tensions over access to these facilities, reflecting broader issues in balancing public and member use.
Incident Details
On August 18, Barbara Rizzo, a non-resident taxpayer, reported a distressing encounter while trying to use the public courts at Brooks Park. Rizzo described the situation as intimidating and harassing, stating that she and her group were pressured to vacate the public courts despite the availability of member courts.
“Let me start by saying this was not the first bad experience this year but it escalated to a point where we felt harassed, intimidated, bullied and threatened by members of the Harwich Pickleball group,” Rizzo wrote in her letter to the Recreation and Youth Commission.
Rizzo and her companions arrived at 8:30 a.m. and encountered difficulties when they found the public courts occupied by members. According to Rizzo, they were told they could play just one game before vacating or move to the member courts. Despite concerns about the enforcement of these rules, they complied and played on the furthest court to avoid further conflict.
Reaction from the Commission
The issue was discussed at the August 27 commission meeting, with Chair John Mahan expressing concern about the reported intimidation. “This was not the first bad experience this year, but it escalated to a point where we felt harassed, intimidated, bullied, and threatened,” Rizzo wrote. Her letter was discussed during the commission’s meeting on August 27. Commission Chair John Mahan expressed his concern, stating, “It’s outrageous if it is true. Complaints of bullying and intimidation cannot be tolerated on any of our courts.”
The commission debated whether the directive to leave came from an authority figure and discussed the need for stricter enforcement of court regulations.
Eric Beebe, the Recreation Director, noted that the conflict arose when a member observed the group playing more than one game, which led to tensions. Some commissioners questioned whether the public courts should be more accessible to avoid such disputes.
Proposed Solutions
The commission also considered proposals for improving court management. Steve Setian, a member of the Harwich Pickleball Association, suggested relocating the open courts to newly resurfaced areas adjacent to tennis courts to better manage player flow and reduce conflicts. He also recommended hiring a dedicated monitor for the open play courts to address issues with non-members not adhering to game limits.
The commission decided to table further discussion on the matter until the September 24 meeting, agreeing that additional considerations are needed regarding court access and management.
News in Brief: Harwich Pickleball Courts Dispute
The Harwich Pickleball courts at Brooks Park have been at the center of a dispute involving public and member access. On August 18, Barbara Rizzo reported being harassed by members while trying to use public courts, despite available member courts. The Recreation and Youth Commission discussed the incident on August 27, highlighting concerns about bullying and enforcement of court rules. Proposals for relocating courts and hiring a monitor were presented, with further discussion scheduled for September 24.
ALSO READ: Pickleball Noise Dispute in South Burlington Demanding Action
