Relocate pickleball courts to better serve community
I agree with David Jones’ letter of Dec. 5, 2025, and I want to add a suggestion. It would be a benefit to our citizens to install more green space as part of the town center plan, and it feels like more new housing would exceed a sort of tipping point in development.
An added feature of the town center could be needed pickleball courts. Since the Covid lockdown, pickleball participation here, and nationwide, has exploded. Pickleball has a low entry bar, and that means many more people are benefitting from the fun and exercise than before 2020. This is a good thing, and if the recreation department’s job is to provide exercise components to our citizens, then pickleball is a simple and inexpensive remedy: a quality paddle costs less than $60.
The current courts have been outgrown, and there exists about 16 parking spaces. As a result, cars take up limited residential street parking. I believe the city has received complaints from residents living near the courts that the clacking noise the paddles and balls make is annoying.
A better location for Scotts Valley pickleball may be the site of the current dog park. There’s plenty of parking to be shared with the skate park, and no nearby neighbors to be affected by the sounds.
Perhaps there’s another satisfactory location for pickleball—if so, it should be pursued.
Gary Nickerson
Scotts Valley
