Oct 4, 2019

Piedmont Recreation Pickleball Subcommittee

c/o Erin Rivera, City of Piedmont

Re: Oct. 7, 2019 Hearing

Dear Chairman Roland and Commissioners McCarthy and Dorman,

1. We have 166 members on the Piedmont Pickleball Group. Many days now see three and four courts going full blast with more on the weekends. The model of experienced players stopping play to teach beginners is no longer viable as most of us simply want to play. We have initiated a volunteer introductory class every Saturday morning; Les Ellis has generously offered his time and expertise. We are starting to attract experienced out of town players. We have started family courts on the weekends. We are in the process of designating recreational and competitive courts; this insures an enjoyable game for all levels. Staff is in the process of arranging professional clinics; kindly encourage this.
2. I urge that the Linda and Hampton hours be made permanent; complaints from neighbors and tennis players are nonexistent. I request the hours at Linda be extended a modest half hour to 1pm. This will not negatively affect tennis as there are no tennis players waiting to play at Linda at this time. Hampton at 3pm has tennis players waiting and we have informally accommodated them earlier if we are not using both courts.
3. The overly light brown Hampton pickleball lines on the tan surface are difficult and the two courts next to the baseball field become effectively unusable as shadows obscure the baselines (see two photos). Darker lines should be installed. Additionally permanent net placement marks are needed at Linda and Hampton. While usable, the Linda pickleball lines could be a bit darker.
4. The City and private donations funded most of the re-asphalting of the PMS courts with the intent to transform the deteriorated PUSD courts into a multi-use community sports asset with pickleball being the primary addition. A reasonable person assumes the District would have a conversation with the City and an integrated stripping plan would be enacted; this was not done. The District arbitrarily striped for badminton without integrating pickleball lines. The District striping is appropriate for parking lots and not sports activities. The Badminton World Federation Handbook II 2014/15 Section 1A states badminton court striping is 40mm / 1.6” (see Badminton World Federation Sec 4.1 p1 attached). PUSD striped their PMS badminton lines twice as wide at 83mm or 3.25” (see att.). The paint used by the District has an unneeded three dimensionality to it and the lines are not sharp.I am disappointed in the District’s unilateral action. If a redo is possible, the four pickleball courts on the first two badminton venues can be restriped about two feet closer to each other so the existing basketball poles are less of an obstruction; they are in issue now if balls are hit near them.
5. While the Linda redo is likely years off, four dedicated pickleball courts accommodating 16 players can be placed there rather than the two tennis courts accommodating 2 to 4 players. Another advantage of dedicated pickleball over tennis is that about 35% of space earmarked for tennis can be used for other uses such as a larger tot lot or other sports facilities.

Sincerely,

Rick Schiller

Piedmont, CA

cc: Jennifer Cavenaugh

Read the full letter and see  photos by clicking below:

PCA 2019-10-07 RSschiller Rec subcomm

One Response to “OPINION: Pickleball Review Monday, October 7, 7:30 p.m. Community Hall”

1. Rick Schiller
   

   October 8th, 2019 at 2:45 pm

   To clarify: A single tennis court that meets international minimal dimensions including out of bounds areas is 60′ x 120′ Minimal safe pickleball dimensions including out of bound areas is 30′ x 60′ Four pickleball courts accommodating 16 players at a time takes up the same space as a single tennis court that accommodates 2 to 4 players.

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