Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Menlo Park staff outline court repairs as players press for wider outreach and a noise study
Loading...
Summary
At a Feb. 25 Parks & Recreation Commission meeting, staff outlined planned maintenance for pickleball courts — net replacements, restringing and repainting — while residents called for better survey outreach, improved lighting and a formal noise study near apartment buildings.
Menlo Park staff presented an informational update on recent pickleball projects on Feb. 25, and players who use courts across the city urged faster, more-visible outreach, better lighting and consideration of long-term equipment choices.
Nick Schenga, Library and Community Services assistant director, told the commission staff are replacing nets at Newland and Kelly courts, plan to restripe and repaint courts at Niwa and Kelly Parks, and are improving signage and performing minor maintenance. He said requests for improvements can be submitted through the city's ACT memo portal and that contractor scheduling and weather mean some repainting work is targeted for April.
The commission heard sustained public comment from players and residents. "It's a fantastic way to socialize while engaging in a healthy sport," said Kathy Tokec, who identified herself as a Menlo Park resident and longtime player, praising new nets and benches but listing remaining safety issues including broken lighting, dilapidated wind netting and a water leak affecting two Blake Park courts. "With Menlo Park residents playing pickleball at all ages and abilities, safety is of utmost concern to us," she said.
Player and resident Nate Garvin recommended the city evaluate higher-quality nets with longer warranties to reduce replacement frequency: "Palo Alto nets have a five-year warranty... others have 10-year warranties. Those things have a total-cost-of-ownership benefit." Garvin encouraged staff to produce a cost study comparing net brands and lifecycles.
Commissioners pressed staff on survey outreach and lighting. Several members said an earlier survey intended to inform paint/striping decisions did not reach active pickleball groups on social channels; staff acknowledged a low response count to one version and said they would reissue a broader survey and distribute notices to user groups. Commissioners also raised persistent problems with aging court lights and parts: transitioning to LED and scheduling capital upgrades would require coordination with Public Works and inclusion on the city's capital improvement plan.
Staff described repainting and restriping as dependent on contractor availability and weather. "We have the money to do it, so that's not the issue. It's process and scheduling the contractor," a staff member said, noting small crews that do this work prioritize larger contracts first.
The commission discussed whether to form a subcommittee or agenda item to study all racket-sports needs (tennis and pickleball), and urged residents to bring priorities to the City Council goal-setting session on March 21. No formal action or vote occurred on policy changes; the item was presented for information and staff follow-up.
Next steps: staff said they will reissue a broader survey, coordinate postings with pickleball user groups, pursue courts repainting as contractor schedules allow and continue to report back to the commission. The city plans to return survey results to the commission in March and to the council in a study session tentatively scheduled for March 24.
