Residents Volley with Pickleball Supporters in Patton Township

Like a highly competitive game of pickleball, the volleys between some residents of a Park Forest neighborhood and supporters of the popular game continue to go back and forth, while Patton Township leaders are left at the net, trying to come to an amicable solution for both sides.

Some township residents living near the pickleball courts in Green Hollow Park say the courts are a nuisance, producing unnecessary noise and traffic. Supporters of the game say the courts provide an opportunity for people in the area to learn and play one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, improving the quality of their lives.

Related: Patton Township Neighborhood in a Pickle over Pickleball

The courts at issue were opened in 2019, and since the onset of the pandemic, they have gotten more use as people looked for outdoor spaces for entertainment, exercise and socialization.

The issue has been stirring for several months and the township made short-term mitigation efforts to reduce the impact of pickleball play at Green Hollow, including opening and closing times for the courts, parking adjustments and measures for future noise reduction in common public places.

Hours for use of the courts have been changed to 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday while the township determines next steps.

This summer, the YMCA of Centre County State College branch plans to open new pickleball courts, which will relieve some of the pressure at the park, but until then, the disagreements continue.

Several Park Forest residents and pickleball supporters offered their opinions for more than 60 minutes on June 16 at a Patton Township Board of Supervisors meeting.

Resident Mary Bellman lives near the park and said the noise caused at the pickleball courts prevents her from enjoying her property; she said it shouldn’t be a “two-sided issue,” pitting local residents against people who enjoy the game.

Noting Green Hollow Park is a “neighborhood park,” Bellman said she didn’t think “folks who come here to play” should have the same voice as those who live in the neighborhood.

“My point is that the courts should not have been built here,” she said. “The neighborhood park is not intended to serve the larger community.”

Local pickleball enthusiast Drew Van Tish acknowledged the YMCA’s court project completion, and asked the board to delay any actions concerning Patton Township pickleball until the new courts open in late June or early July.

He said although more courts will give another option for players, the inadequate number of courts in the area will still have pickleballers coming to Park Forest.

“Green Hollow, even after the Y opens, will continue to be the lifeline — the bridge — to enable people to keep playing,” said Von Tish, “including those who live in Patton Township, in Park Forest … who want to come to the courts to play.”

At the conclusion of the public comment session, the board agreed to continue to gather more information about the matter. An advisory committee will meet on July 12 and the board will next address the issue at a July 21 meeting.

“I hope you know that all of us on the board have been listening very carefully. I have been taking notes, of your concerns for residents who are near the park and of residents who are walking to the park,” said Supervisor Anita Thies.

“I hear the cry of the residents who want the nets taken down right now, but I also hear the plea of other residents who are within walking distance of the park, saying that this is an activity that is good for their health.”

Board member Dan Trevino said he was proud of the way residents are addressing “this contentious issue.”

“Thank you everyone who spoke up and gave us your viewpoints, being courteous and respectful,” he said. “I am proud of our community.”

Also during the meeting, the supervisors read a mailed letter by local resident Stephen Garcia asking the township to respond in writing as to why it shouldn’t be held accountable for allowing unreasonable noise to occur at the park. The request will be given to the township solicitor for review.

Township manager Doug Erickson addressed a second Garcia concern, this time verbally, in regard to requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act at the courts.

“That work is underway. Mr. Garcia is correct. We had an incorrect understanding,” said Erickson, noting the township is currently taking bids to address the ADA issues.

“We were wrong, we’ll just put it that way … about when ADA accommodations are required. We cleared that up.”

As the issues continue, the township continues to be forward-thinking in regard to pickleball.

A sight-distance study was conducted on Sierra Lane in order to help alleviate some of safety concerns caused by pickleball player parking.

This story appears in the June 24-30 edition of The Centre County Gazette.