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Milpitas pickleball players urge council to make pilot permanent, ask for dedicated courts and funding
Summary
Multiple residents and club leaders told the Milpitas City Council they want the city's pickleball pilot program made permanent and asked for more courts, facility improvements and increased CIP funding.
During public forum at the Feb. 11 Milpitas City Council meeting, at least five longtime residents and members of the Milpitas Pickleball Club urged the council and Parks & Recreation staff to convert the city's pilot pickleball program into a permanent offering and to add dedicated courts and funding.
Suji Maniam, who identified herself as a Milpitas resident of 15 years and board member of the Milpitas Pickleball Club, told the council, "I'm here to talk about pickleball in Milpitas," and thanked staff for recent resurfacing and lighting at Hall Park. David Hall, a 42-year Milpitas resident, said, "In the last 3 years, the number of people participating in the sport of pickleball has more than tripled," and asked the council to prioritize permanent courts rather than temporary nets.
Speakers asked the city to expand permanent outdoor courts, improve Hall Park amenities (sturdier nets, benches, bag hooks and queuing systems) and to allocate more capital funding for pickleball facilities. Several speakers pointed to the proposed CIP, noting an item that allocates about $7.8 million for a new softball field while, they said, the CIP currently lists only about $100,000 to $200,000 for pickleball maintenance and related improvements.
Prashanth Kumar, a newly appointed board member of the club, said the pilot program "has proven its value" and urged the council to make pickleball a permanent part of the city's recreation offerings. Van Leong, who said he is president of the Milpitas Pickleball Club (describing the group as representing more than 1,000 members across social platforms), reported typical daily play counts at local courts: "On any given day, we have a hundred to 150 players at Hall. On the weekend, it's 150 to 200 players at Hall."
City staff addressed the issue later in the CIP presentation (see separate CIP article). Public works staff and Parks & Recreation said Hall Park courts were resurfaced in November and that staff will return in early spring with a final recommendation; staff noted a planned $100,000 allocation from the park fund toward the final recommendation pending council approval.
Speakers at the meeting also asked the council to consider a strategic plan for pickleball that would identify potential sites, funding options and noise/lighting mitigations. Council members asked staff to compile minor amenity improvements (benches, bag hooks, sturdier nets) and cost them for near-term action.
No formal council action to reclassify the pilot as permanent was taken at the Feb. 11 study session; staff said a return report and final recommendation will come in early spring.
