Evanston weighs new pickleball courts: The Parks and Recreation Board of Evanston is facing a pivotal decision that could affect tennis and pickleball players in the community. The Board must choose between converting portions of tennis courts at Leahy Park and James Park for pickleball, dedicating all tennis courts at James Park to pickleball, or building new, dedicated pickleball courts at Chandler Park.
Challenges at Leahy and James Park
This decision has been met with divided opinions from various groups, including tennis and pickleball players, and nearby residents. While there’s broad support for pickleball courts in Evanston, the question of where to place them has sparked heated debate.
“We’re in a situation. No one really wants pickleball in their neighborhood.” – (Parks and Recreation Director, Audrey Thompson)
Neighbors of Leahy Park have voiced concerns over the potential conversion of tennis courts to pickleball courts, particularly highlighting the issues of noise and parking. Alex Gunn, a resident next to the park, expressed his discomfort with the proposal, stating,
“I haven’t had to question the future of the neighborhood until now. Now I have to reconsider, really, what the next 20 years is going to look like.” – (Alex Gunn)
Noise complaints dominated public comments, with residents pointing out the disruptive sounds associated with pickleball play.
“There’s something about the type of noise that the pickleball sport brings that is really grating to those who are not participating in the activity.” – (neighbor)
Pickleball players also weighed in, showing a preference for dedicated courts rather than shared spaces with tennis at Leahy and James Park.
Tennis Under Threat at James Park
Debbie Cassell, president of the Evanston Community Tennis Association, expressed concern over the potential loss of tennis courts at James Park, which is a venue for official league and tournament games.
“There has been stated that there aren’t many tennis players in Evanston. That could not be further from the truth. We’ve been driven to other communities by the condition of the courts and by pickleball.” – (Debbie Cassell)
Audrey Thompson mentioned that if James Park tennis courts were converted, the city is considering using Lovelace Park for tennis tournaments. However, Lovelace courts are often occupied with city programming, limiting tennis availability.
Board Vice President Robert Bush, a strong supporter of converting James Park to pickleball, stated, “The issue of a few shouldn’t override the desires of many for dedicated pickleball courts.” despite concerns that southern Evanston would be left without any tennis courts.
The Costly Option at Chandler Park
The most expensive option is to create dedicated pickleball courts at Chandler Park, which would keep the sports separate but divert funds from much-needed resurfacing of tennis courts elsewhere in Evanston. Some tennis courts are in dire condition and currently unplayable.
“The third choice is the most expensive and limits us. We want to be good stewards with your money.” – (Audrey Thompson)
The Parks and Recreation Board will vote next week to determine the future of pickleball and tennis courts in Evanston.
News in Brief: Evanston Weighs New Pickleball Courts
Evanston’s Parks and Recreation Board is weighing three options to address the demand for pickleball courts: converting tennis courts at Leahy and James Park, converting all James Park courts to pickleball, or building new courts at Chandler Park. Neighbors near Leahy Park voiced concerns about noise and parking, while tennis players fear losing key courts at James Park.
Dedicated pickleball courts at Chandler Park, though expensive, would keep the sports separate. The board will hold a special meeting to vote on these options next week, aiming to balance the needs of tennis and pickleball players.
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