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Pickleball, tennis: staff recommends drop-in first, limited reservations for specific courts and capped events
Summary
Staff proposed a sport-court allocation policy that preserves drop‑in play as the primary use, identifies specific courts for limited hourly reservation and limits the number and timing of larger events; commissioners supported keeping drop‑in culture while exploring constrained reservation and limited tournament allowances.
Recreation staff recommended a sport-court use and allocation policy to address rising demand for pickleball and tennis courts across the city. Staff noted existing court inventory: Jake Jacobson (formerly part of Luther Burbank waterfront) houses eight dedicated pickleball courts; Aubrey Davis Park (four tennis courts) and Homestead Park (four tennis courts) allow hourly reservations; Island Crest and Roanoke host additional courts with more limited reservation use.
Current practice prioritizes drop‑in play; staff has permitted only one organized pickleball tournament (a Rotary Club fundraising event in August) and otherwise declined reservations for pickleball courts. Staff reported that independent, unauthorized instruction and informal court modifications have occurred at some tennis courts. Community input via a local pickleball group survey (conducted by Dink on Mercer Island and discussed by staff) showed mixed attitudes: 26% of respondents supported paid coaches reserving courts, 50% supported allowing sponsored tournaments, 55% favored up to two tournaments per year, 30% favored one tournament per season, and 15% opposed tournaments entirely.
Staff proposals and commission feedback: - Preserve drop-in play as the primary use at public courts to reflect user culture and reduce staffing burden for enforcement. - Identify specific courts that may accept limited hourly reservations (staff suggested designating some courts or time blocks as reservable while maintaining a majority of courts for drop-in use). - Limit sponsored or commercial events (tournaments) in frequency and timing — staff suggested restricting larger events during peak summer periods (July–August) because they cause parking and facility impacts. - Exempt city-coordinated programs and partnerships from reservation limits (so city-run programming can proceed).
Commissioners generally supported prioritizing drop-in play and cautioned that reservation windows should not unduly crowd out casual users; several commissioners suggested using criteria similar to the field-allocation tiering for permitted commercial or fundraising events and emphasized transparency in any reservation policy. Staff will draft a sport-court policy for commission review and return with recommendations, aiming for additional discussion in November and eventual implementation in early 2026.
