Pickleball a hot sport, and a hot topic in Glenview
The Glenview Park District is seeking a resolution to installing new pickleball courts to satisfy players of the growing sport without alienating neighbors opposed to the courts.
A Nov. 16 meeting of park and facility services and environmental committee of the whole was dedicated specifically to improvements at Flick Park, 3600 Glenview Road, where eight new pickleball courts were proposed to join the two already there.
At the meeting, officials addressed other improvements to the 39-acre park, including a ballfield renovation, a new quarter-mile path, rain gardens and accessible parking. Pickleball, however, was the main topic of interest for the more than 60 residents in attendance.
"There were a lot of improvements to Flick Park that were proposed, but the ones about pickleball were the ones that brought the most concerns from the neighbors," said Anna Ables, the park district's director of brand strategy and community engagement.
"The park district is committed to supporting the growing number of pickleball players in our community while also addressing the concerns of the Flick Park neighbors," she said.
The sport, similar to tennis, was invented in 1965 by a trio of Washington men. According to the Glenview Park District, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association identified pickleball as the nation's fastest-growing sport each of the past two years. USA Pickleball said that in 2021 membership grew to more than 53,000 members - a 43% increase over the previous year.
Glenview offers 11 courts, three at Rugen Park and two apiece at Flick, Crowley, Indian Ridge and Richardson parks. Four more will open at Gallery Park in 2023.
Neighbors' concerns about the new courts included stormwater management and parking, but mainly noise impacts.
Traffic consultant KLOA concluded Flick Park had sufficient parking should the courts be added. The staff report noted several engineering techniques that actually would improve drainage and stormwater retention.
A sound engineer projecting noise levels in decibels with all eight courts in use estimated levels at or slightly above village code of 53 decibels, which might affect several residences west of the park. Some pickleball strikes at the existing courts, measured on Oct. 14, registered above 70 decibels.
Acoustic fencing or panels, which will be installed on portions of fencing on the existing courts, drastically would reduce the radius of noise impact to those western neighbors, the sound engineer's study showed.
In the end, the park board directed staff to explore options for other locations. The alternatives are planned to be presented at a winter committee meeting.
"We are confident we can find a solution, and our staff will be exploring locations for the new pickleball courts over the coming weeks," Ables said.