Residents urge Roseville to add more pickleball courts at Gibson Park as demand outstrips supply

City staff told the Parks and Recreation Commission on Feb. 3 that participation in pickleball has surged locally and nationally, and that Roseville’s supply of public courts is under pressure from sustained demand at Gibson Park.

Tara G., the city’s park planning and development manager, told commissioners that pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S. and summarized national and local participation trends. “Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in The US,” she said, citing USA Pickleball data and local use. City inventory currently lists 20 outdoor pickleball courts, and Woodbridge Park’s renovation will add one court to that inventory, Tara G. said.

Tara G. described options and constraints for new courts. She said converting two tennis courts at Woodbridge into pickleball overlays is costing about $350,000 to create two courts out of one tennis-court footprint while maintaining another tennis court. By contrast, constructing a nine-court complex previously built at Gibson cost in excess of $5 million, she said, and the city does not have funding to build an immediate second phase at Gibson. Tara G. also explained that different park funds are restricted geographically: West Roseville and Sierra Vista citywide park funds cannot be used outside their respective planning areas, and neighborhood park funds normally do not support amenities such as permanent restrooms or large complexes.

Public commenters urged faster action. Mike Barnes, a Roseville resident, asked the commission to “make an adjustment to the Gibson Park master plan and complete a build out specifically to reduce the number of tennis courts and increase the number of pickleball courts,” and cited local business demand and recent private investments. Multiple speakers, including Han Wang and John Vick, described frequent waits to play at Gibson and urged more contiguous courts so players can reliably find games. Roger, who identified himself as a former tennis player now using pickleball, said converting a single tennis court can create multiple pickleball courts and cited a per-court conversion cost he estimated at about $10,000 for resurfacing an existing court.

Commissioners asked staff about conversion costs, geographic distribution, reservation systems, sponsorships, and whether shared tennis/pickleball layouts are viable. Staff said dual-marked courts wear surfaces and equipment faster and that net heights and play styles differ between the sports. Staff also emphasized the need to balance access across neighborhoods and citywide parks and said they will re-evaluate Gibson’s master plan when funding for a later phase is available and after formal outreach.

The item was informational; the commission did not take action. Staff said the city will not amend the Gibson Park master plan at the Feb. 3 meeting and that any change would require an outreach process and be timed to funding availability.