What pilot project?
The Seattle Parks Department launched its pickleball “pilot project” in July. Based on the feedback Parks received, they will paint pickleball lines on only a select list of existing outdoor tennis courts. The comment period for this pilot project ended on September 5, 2017.
What Parks plans to do
This is the city’s response regarding the painting of pickleball lines on the 7 area courts that are part of the pilot, in the words of the project manager, Ms. Karimah Edwards, Capital Projects Planner, City of Seattle (dates in parentheses are ours):
- The comment period for pickleball closed last week with no opposition (September 5, 2017)
- The courts have been designed and bids have been solicited for court lining
- We have received bids and anticipate finalizing a contract this week (September 11, 2017)
The City of Seattle solicited bids from contractors that could complete the lining by the end of September 2017. However, they anticipate the lining project would be completed in October (2017) at the latest.
What’s next?
Keep an eye out for lines to be painted on these courts:
- Green Lake Park in central-north district
- South Park Community Center in south-west district
- Georgetown Playfield in south-central district
- Delridge Community Center in south-west district
- Discovery Park Court in central-west district
- Miller Community Center in central-east district
- Soundview Playfield in north-west district
Paddles at the ready everyone, and we will post more updates as we learn about the painting schedule.
What’s the lining plan?
The intent is to have tennis lines and pickleball lines coexist. Not all tennis courts at any given location are to have pickleball lines. Originally, the Parks department wanted to paint lines so that one tennis court could be used as one pickleball court.
In a meeting with our SMPA Board and other community members, we pointed out how it would make sense to paint lines for multiple pickleball courts on a single tennis court. This strategy has been used locally and successfully at Yost Park in Edmonds where two tennis courts were lined to be used as eight pickleball courts.
Is there more we can do?
With the comment period ended and the pilot officially launched, keep playing. And if you do have comments to make to the city about pickleball, use the email address pickleball@seattle.gov.
And please Join! so that we can update you on progress and other opportunities to engage in getting the City of Seattle to increase our pickleball venues indoors and out across Seattle.
Thank you!
Seattle Metro Pickleball Association