The Seattle Parks District is asking for your feedback on their current upcoming funding plan.
What is in the plan?
The plan includes six years’ worth of funding spread among 40+ categories going from “Accessibility Barrier Removal to “Youth Mentorship & Employment Opportunities”. And this time around it does mention pickleball.
What is in it for pickleball?
The good parts
- They expect to get 16+ dedicated, lighted outdoor pickleball courts to be added across two locations by 2028.
- They are increasing the amount of money allocated to maintain and renovate existing outdoor courts.
- They are planning to increase community centers operating hours by 9% and to reallocate hours to increase evening and weekend access.
The parts to question
- The funding seems too small to lead to the addition of 16+ dedicated, lighted pickleball courts.
- It’s not clear if part of the funding would be available to add more pickleball court lines to existing tennis courts and to buy semi-permanent pickleball nets.
- There is no plan to increase indoor pickleball.
How can I help?
Please send an email to Seattle Park District Planning (PDPlanning@seattle.gov) and to the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners (Rachel.Acosta@seattle.gov).
Thank them for supporting outdoor pickleball in their current budget proposal by enabling Seattle Parks to construct two new dedicated outdoor pickleball facilities with lights. Ask them to allocate money to acquire semi-permanent pickleball nets, because pickleball court lines are not enough.
Thank them for increasing funding to allow expanded operating hours at community centers. Ask that some of the new hours be allocated to restore indoor pickleball hours that were cut in 2019 due to lack of funds.
Feel free to add your favorite pickleball topic: getting pickleball lines painted in a color that we can actually see such as yellow or orange, getting better density of pickleball courts, getting dedicated pickleball times on dual-use courts, adding pickleball court lines on the tennis courts located next to community centers, getting pickleball courts with lights in the short-term, etc.
Can you make it easy?
Sure thing. We already did most of the work for you. Click here to get started.
Just remember to sign at the bottom. And add a paragraph with your own favorite pickleball request if you wish.
Where can I find more information?
You can find the part of the budget proposal called “Racket Sport Maintenance and Expansion” here.
You can find the part of the proposed budget called “Community Center Operations” here.
Here is the Park District Funding Plan‘s web page.
Here is the Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners web page. The Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners is charged with holding public meetings and making recommendations to the Superintendent of Seattle Parks and Recreation for each six-year cycle of the Park District.