Milpitas is caught up in one other spherical of back-and-forth debates about whether or not or to not completely set up pickleball courts at native parks.
In the course of the Metropolis Council’s Tuesday assembly, councilmembers unanimously voted to delay a long-awaited resolution to completely set up pickleball courts at Corridor Memorial and Gill Park, opting as a substitute to have workers discover various indoor and out of doors court docket places.
The holdup was prompted by conflicting views from residents. Some avid pickleball gamers expressed pleasure over having designated courts at Corridor Memorial to play, however residents who lived close by mentioned they’re pissed off about pickleball-related noise, site visitors and questions of safety.
“We learned a lot,” Councilmember Evelyn Chua mentioned. “but I think now, getting the feedback and learning from the two years of pilot program, we still need to learn more how to meditate this issue.”
The pickleball discourse began in 2022, when Milpitas launched a pilot program that quickly transformed six new momentary pickleball courts from tennis courts at Corridor Memorial and enhanced two present momentary courts at Gill Park’s Handball Courts.
Inside a matter of months, pickleball lovers from throughout Milpitas and the encircling communities flocked to the brand new vacation spot and shortly created a close-knit neighborhood. Nonetheless the parks, particularly Corridor Memorial, are positioned in single-family residential areas. Residents complained about fixed pickleball noises and site visitors congestion on their streets, going so far as sending a petition to town final 12 months to maneuver the courts elsewhere.
Up to now 12 months, metropolis workers made efforts to deal with these considerations, together with implementing a every day timeframe for pickleballers. If the courts are completely enacted, workers will look into including extra measures together with sound dampening panels, portray new parking stalls away from the neighborhood and portray a crimson curb for emergency car parking.
However some residents mentioned extra must be performed. Throughout Tuesday’s assembly, resident Melissa Pereira mentioned she and her fellow neighbors have spoken to council “again and again” to maneuver the placement of the courts, however to no avail. Pereira mentioned she isn’t “anti-recreation” or in opposition to pickleball, however believes the courts are creating division amongst residents.
“We think Milpitas deserves to thrive, to have parks that bring people together and bring community,” she mentioned. “but the spirit has been lost here. This pilot has created conflict, not connection.”
In a letter to the council, resident Henry Soong mentioned householders, residents and tenants close to Corridor Memorial can’t get away from the, “ongoing popping sounds of the paddle hitting the ball.” The undesirable noise publicity can set off stress and different well being points, and probably have a unfavourable impact available on the market values of close by houses, in line with Soong.
“I urge the City to think hard on the consequences of providing recreational opportunities to mostly non-residents, and balance the interests of the residents who cannot escape their situation,” Soong mentioned.
Whereas many pro-pickleball residents on Tuesday didn’t insist on making the Corridor Memorial location everlasting, they did emphasis a necessity for such courts in Milpitas.
Resident Van Leong, who’s president of the Milpitas Pickleball Membership, mentioned Corridor Park welcomes greater than thousand gamers each week, from senior working adults to Milpitas excessive schoolers
“They come to play everyday to stay active, relieve stress and also build social connections,” Leong mentioned.
Prashanth Kumar, one other avid pickleball participant, mentioned the game helped him to take care of his health as soon as he turned 50.
“Thanks to this pilot program and the Milpitas pickle ball community, I was able to encourage and learn and play,” he mentioned. “What began as a way to stay active quickly turned into a daily practice.”
Vice Mayor Garry Barbadillo mentioned the difficulty will not be “residents versus pickleball players” however about the place the courts needs to be. Barbadillo mentioned he encourages the council, workers members and residents to work collectively to discover a compromise on the place pickleball courts may be expanded within the metropolis.
“We always try to balance it,” he mentioned. “Lets continue to work together. One thing is sure about this situation, pickleball is in Milpitas.”
Initially Printed: Could 22, 2025 at 2:54 PM PDT
