Title
Recommendation to modify and update existing Tennis and Pickleball policies and make the trial pickleball courts at Leydecker Park permanent.
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Recreation and Park Commission
From: Justin Long, Recreation and Parks Director
BACKGROUND
November 10, 2022, the Recreation and Parks Commission (RPC) approved “Tennis Rules” and “Pickleball Rules” for all ARPD courts and the “Athletic Facility Use and Allocation Policy” (Exhibit 1).
In the fall of 2023, ARPD worked with members of the pickleball community, tennis community, and a representative for the neighboring HOA to identify a location for a trial converting one tennis court into four pickleball courts. The process identified Leydecker Park court 1 as the location of the trial. ARPD had the court overlayed with striping for pickleball and provided four movable nets. Signage was placed to inform users of hours of play and court rules.
August 2024, ARPD met with the Alameda Tennis Coalition (ATC) to discuss new signs recently placed at Washington Park tennis courts. ATC expressed the need to add “Tennis Only” to the existing signs to limit any conflict from occurring at the courts between pickleball players and tennis players. ARPD agreed to add signs to the Washington Park tennis courts stating, “Tennis Only” due to past conflicts and to high usage.
September 3, 2024, City Council gave direction to the RPC to develop/modify policies about which courts would be for tennis only and which courts would allow pickleball. Council direction also included making Washington Park tennis courts a tennis only facility. Council directed ARPD to install temporary “Tennis Only” signs at all the outdoor tennis courts until the RPC could review and discuss any changes to ARPD policies.
DISCUSSION
ARPD currently has three approved polices for the usage of courts and facilities throughout the city. The policies are Tennis Rules, Pickleball Rules, and the Athletic Facility Use and Allocation Policy. Prior to the policies approval by the RPC in November 2022, they were shared with user groups.
ARPD met with members of the ATC in August of 2024 to discuss the verbiage of newly placed signs at the Washington Park tennis courts. Staff verified that nearly all rules being requested by ATC were on signs posted at Washington Park tennis courts. “Tennis Courts are for Tennis play only” was not included on the new signs. The omitted language was previously approved in 2022. During this meeting, ARPD agreed that the “Tennis Only” information be added to the signs at Washington Park tennis courts.
ARPD currently has 14 tennis courts and 8 pickleball courts outdoors, and 2 indoor pickleball courts available during winter months at the Alameda Point Gym. The pickleball trial at Leydecker Park court 1 reduced the available tennis courts from 15 to 14 and increased pickleball courts from 4 to 8. The trial was developed by a working group comprised of members from the tennis community, pickleball community, representative from the neighboring HOA, and ARPD. The trial has created more capacity for pickleball play without any complaints from adjacent neighbors. The trial courts are heavily used on many days of the week and evenings. Estuary Park phase II will include a minimum of 4 pickleball courts increasing the number of pickleball courts to 12 and potentially to 14 providing equal access for both sports.
ARPD has further reviewed the existing policies regarding both tennis and pickleball to reduce any conflicts that may arise from a lack of clarity. The existing tennis and pickleball policies each state clearly what sport can be played at each type of facility (Exhibit 1). The policies however do not identify specific locations where each sport is allowed. ARPD operates many multiuse facilities and facilities specifically for specialized use such as tennis, pickleball, and bocce.
To reduce conflicts, ARPD is recommending adding the location where tennis and pickleball are allowed to be played to the existing policies. For example, tennis is allowed at the following park locations: Washington, Franklin, Longfellow, Krusi, and Leydecker courts 2 & 3. Pickleball is allowed at the following park locations: Lincoln, Leydecker (court 1) and future Estuary Park phase II. ARPD is recommending the installation of “Tennis Courts are for Tennis Play only” to all existing signs and install new signs with the above proposed language at, Franklin, Longfellow, Krusi, and Leydecker courts 2 & 3. ARPD is recommending adding the following language to the pickleball court signs, “Pickleball courts are for Pickleball Play only”. The pickleball signs will be installed at Lincoln Park and Leydecker Park court 1, making the trial at Leydecker Park permanent.
For clarity, ARPD recommends changes to the existing Tennis and Pickleball policies and signs removing the verbiage “reservation” and replacing it with “rental” to align with existing practice. ARPD currently does not allow rentals of pickleball courts ensuring the community has access to courts due to the limited amount available. When Estuary Park phase II is completed, ARPD will evaluate the option for individual pickleball court rentals. ARPD recommends allowing individual tennis court rentals to occur at the following park locations: Franklin, Longfellow, Krusi, and Leydecker. The rentals will follow the existing “Facility Use and Allocation policy”.
ARPD recommends that all other ARPD facilities be designated as multi-use/flexible spaces unless otherwise identified as specialized, such as the bocce courts at Lincoln Park.
ARPD signs and policies were established to provide guidance to community members for shared use of public spaces. The signs provide information for community members to reference if they encounter another community member using a facility in a manner inconsistent with the associated signage. Enforcement of the park rules are supported by municipal codes and by ARPD staff. ARPD staff can address issues/conflicts during business hours 8:30am-6pm Monday through Friday (510-747-7529). For after-hours, community members can contact our on-call standby phone (510-775-5459). For additional enforcement and emergencies, community members can contact the non-emergency police phone (510-337-8340) or 911.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There are no financial impacts from this recommendation.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation to modify and update existing Tennis and Pickleball policies (Exhibit 2) and make the trial pickleball courts at Leydecker Park permanent.
Respectfully submitted,
Justin Long, Recreation and Parks Director
Exhibits:
1. Existing Policies
2. Revised Tennis and Pickleball Policies