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Neighbors press council to remove Rainier Trails pickleball lines; council favors waiting for new Garrett Park courts
Summary
Stonebrook neighbors asked the council to remove pickleball lines at Rainier Trails Park because daily play creates significant noise; council members largely supported waiting until seven new courts at Garrett Park are resurfaced (scheduled to start May 18) before removing lines to provide alternatives and avoid wasted expense.
Richard Gardine, speaking for Stonebrook neighbors, told the council that residents are not opposed to pickleball but that daily summer play at Rainier Trails (with homes as close as about 30 feet) has created a level of noise that directly affects nearby properties. Gardine said the parks board voted to remove pickleball lines and urged council discussion and action.
Council discussion returned to the parks committee’s recommendation and possible sequencing. A council member who lives in the neighborhood said he supported removing the lines once proper alternatives are available and noted the planned seven courts at Garrett Park would allow the group to play “all at once” in a proper facility. Other members expressed concern about the fiscal cost of removing lines and preferred waiting until Garrett Park is resurfaced (work expected to start May 18) to see whether playing patterns shift.
Parks staff previously applied for grant funding to add lighting at other athletic fields; in the parks committee report council members referenced resurfacing and new courts as the intended mitigation for concentrated play. The council directed the item to be discussed at the May 18 meeting and signaled willingness to delay removal until the new courts are operational to avoid unnecessary expense while balancing resident concerns about noise.
