HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-03-21-REC-min-attLexington
RECREATION & COMMUNITY
f'hOii ILn N S
Town of Lexington
Recreation and Community Programs
Melissa Battite, CPRP Tel: 781-698-4800
Director of Recreation and Community Programs Fax: 781-861-2747
Recreation & Community Programs
March 2023 Report
Save the Dates:
o March 27th —The final presentation of the Open Space and Recreation Plan will be
presented to the Select Board. Please see the attached letter of support for the Open
Space & Recreation Plan from Recreation.
o Annual Town Meeting
■ March 27th —Article 4 — Appropriate FY2024 Operating Budget
■ Time Permitting Article 5 — Appropriate FY2024 Enterprise Funds
■ March 29th —Article 10 — FY2024 CPC (items not on consent agenda)
• Date certain
o 10i — Lincoln Park improvements
■ April 12th—Article 16 g— Pine Meadows Clubhouse Renvovation/Design
o April 29th — Lexington Little League Opening Day Parade
Old Business -
o The following information has been received from Keene, New Hampshire regarding their
Bike/Pump Park:
Mike O'Connor reached out to our local Bike Park folks asking
if I could connect with you related to our maintenance levels.
We added the Bike Park in September 2020, and it has been a
huge hit ever since. It had draws kids and families from all over
New England to come ride and see our City. It is my hope that
they stay a bit longer and ride some of our other trails as well,
however that is a different subject.
I also wanted to give you a relative operational size, we have
3.5 FTE's dedicated to our 16 parks and 8 miles of multiuse
trails. We hire an additional 4-6 summer seasonal to help offset
the summer workload with pools and landscaping. We have an
www.lexingtonma.gov/recreation
recdept@lexingtonma.gov
39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MA 02421 (office)
1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02420 (mail)
MOU in place with our local NEMBA Keene -Brattleboro
Chapter that identifies the maintenance of infrastructure
needed to help maintain the single track trails in our forested
areas, and bike park. They created a work before you ride
program which has been very successful. They maintain all
their own tools, we work with them if they need something
above and beyond, such as a water hook up for irrigation
because it needs to have consistent moisture being a dirt track
and you don't want it to get to dry and loose. They have also
been instrumental in adding trees to the area after we removed
over 125 red pine (planted after the hurricane of 1938 and
created a monoculture and mostly dead). We have a very good
relationship with our club and 1 can only say what 1 know about
our club and their investment. They did 100% of the
fundraising. In the beginning the project was $25K and ended
up being $11 OK
I can provide you with any additional details you may need,
please reach out to me if you have any questions.
Staff Updates:
The MRPA (Mass Rec and Park Assoc) 2023 Annual Conference will be held March 27 — 29. Each year
professionals and communities are recognized for their work as leaders in the field. (You may recall
Center Track receiving the Facility award as well as Christine Dean and Thomas Romano being
recognized over the past few years).
This year, Lexington will be receiving THREE awards:
1- Michelle Ciccollo - the 2023 winner of the Massachusetts Recreation and Park Association's
Government Official of the Year Award.
This award is given to Senators, Representatives, Mayors, Town Managers, Town
Administrators, etc. that have displayed dedication and advocacy on behalf of Parks and
Recreation in your community.
2- Kate DeAngelis- the 2023 winner of the Massachusetts Recreation and Park Association's
Therapeutic Recreation Award.
This award is given to an individual, group or organization that is increasing accessibility within
their organization and community through Therapeutic Recreation, Inclusion or Adaptive
programs and services.
3- Lexington Public Works - the 2023 winner of the Massachusetts Recreation and Park
Association's Regional Community Impact of the Year Award — Northeast Region.
This award is given to a town or city that is a member of MRPA that has provided outstanding
service and dedication to their community in 2023. This award is for the Center Streetscape
Project.
Therapeutic Recreation:
• All Abilities Basketball ended on March 15th—there were a total of 16 participants ranging in
ages from 5 —13 years old. 6 inclusion staff and 1 Therapeutic Recreation volunteer assisted in
supporting this program
• Currently working with two local group homes to increase their access to recreation facilities
• Continuing to provide inclusion support within Winter programs
o 27 completed inclusion requests
0 18 active inclusion requests
o Providing supports and services to 29 unique individuals
Programs
• The registration for all spring programs, summer camps and clinics, and aquatics memberships
began on Tuesday, March 14th
• The youth winter basketball programs have ended with the leagues wrapping up on Saturday,
March 4th and the last session of the clinics was Saturday, March 11th
• The last session of the Friday afternoon and Friday evening ski/snowboard programs at
Nashoba Valley was held on Friday, March 10th
Budget & Capital
• ATM — Consent agenda is tentatively scheduled to include (3) Recreation Enterprise Fund
retained earnings requests (Article 11) as well as the Bridge School field renovation/ADA
improvements (Article 10j) and Justin Park playground replacement (Article 10k).
• The second community meeting on the proposed field improvements at Lincoln Park took place
on Wednesday, March 1st. The focus of this meeting was the playing surface at Lincoln #1.
• Town Meeting Prep — Presentations for the proposed capital improvement projects have been
recorded and submitted in recent weeks and are available on the Town Meeting webpage.
• Hard Court Reconstruction Project bid results — the bid opening was held on Thursday, February
2nd and the low bidder came in within the project budget. The kickoff meeting will take place
on 3/31/23.
• The Fund for Lexington has awarded the Department $4,000 in scholarship aid for the 2023
spring and summer season. .
Proiects
• Lincoln Park Master Plan — the community meeting about this project was held on Thursday,
February 16tH
• Center Restrooms/DPW Maintenance Building — the contractor will be mobilizing before the
end of the month. The storage trailers were relocated to their temporary locations on March
18th and the portable toilets will be delivered to the site before the end of the month. Here is
an overview of the current plan:
OThe contractor for the Center Recreation Restroom/Maintenance Building project mobilizing
in the coming weeks. Below is an overview of the plan for addressing storage and restrooms
during the project. Thank you to Marc Valenti, Chris Filadoro, Peter Coleman and Principal
Andrew Stephens for meeting on site and thoughtfully creating this plan along with
representatives from LLL and LYL.
o The (5) storage trailers that are located next to the restrooms will be relocated by
Friday, March 17th as they are currently within the construction zone.
o The LLL (1) and LYL (1) trailers will be relocated next to the Center #4 Little League Field
(Fitzgerald Field) and run parallel to the right field fence. The LYL trailer will be up
against the fence and the LLL trailer will be placed next to it. The trailers will be placed
so the doors open towards the Center Track.
o The two LHS trailers will be placed by where the old shot put area used to be . This is to
the right of the path that leads to C2 and doors will open towards the path.
o The Town trailer is going to be emptied and removed from the site altogether
o These locations for the LHS, LYL, and LLL trailers are temporary and will be reassessed
once the Center Recreation Restrooms and Gallagher/Farias Courts projects have been
completed.
• The Recreation Enterprise Fund will be providing (6) portable toilets at the Center Recreation
Park (4 standard and 2 ADA -accessible). They will be located at the end of the Park Drive cul-de-
sac where the path that leads from Park Drive to C2 begins (see photo below). The portable
toilets will be delivered as close to March 20th as conditions allow
• Town Pool Water Heater Replacement — this will be completed in Fall 2023.
• Old Reservoir Bathhouse — the project will go out to bid in the near future and it is anticipated
that the new bathhouse will be installed in Fall 2023.
• Kinneens Playground — the new playground is tentatively scheduled to be installed in
September 2023.
Facilities:
Aquatics
• Bryce Bowie will be serving as the department's Aquatics Supervisor this year. This is a new
seasaonal position this year with the intent of serving as the liaison between the Recreation
Supervisor position and the aquatics staff. Bryce has served as the Aquatics Manager the past
two years and is looking forward to the additional responsibilities of this leadership position.
• Swim lesson registration for Session 1 only (June 19t" -29t") will begin on Tuesday, April 4t". A
membership is required to participate in lessons and swim lesson registration will be staggered
this year and take place closer to the start date for each session.
• A shade structure for the Wading Pool area has been purchased through O'Brien & Sons and is
scheduled to be installed in May/June.
• Please visit the Aquatics web page for important updates for the 2023 season:
https://www.lexingtonma.gov/1081/Town-Aquatics Of note, the facility will return to 2019 and
prior operations with closing for a few hours each day provide swim lessons.
Pine Meadows Golf Course
• The Course is scheduled to open on Thursday, March 23, 2023 for the season.
Parks, Fields, & Playgrounds
• The Sports Advisory Council (SAC) met recently on Tuesday, March 7t", the agenda included an
in-depth conversation about the proposed field improvements project at Lincoln Park. A
support letter (enclosed) for the Lincoln project on behalf of the entire SAC will be submitted
and organizations were strongly encouraged to submit support letters as well. Other items
discussed included the storage trailers at the Center Recreation Complex, ongoing/upcoming
capital projects, and a preview of the spring season.
• Parks
o Playground inspections at the neighborhood and community parks will resume in the
coming month.
• Athletic Fields
o The spring master field schedule has been completed and groups have been notified
about when their permits will begin.
o The synthetic turf fields at Lincoln Park and the Center Track Field have opened for the
season and the natural grass fields will open in the coming weeks, as conditions allow.
0 Hard Court Surfaces:
o Permitted use of the tennis/pickleball courts will begin on Saturday, April 1". The
PlayLocal online court reservation system will launch for the season on Saturday, March
18th.
o The tennis nets and windscreens will be set up in the coming weeks. With the LHS
spring sports season beginning on Monday, March 20th, the Gallagher Courts will be the
top priority, followed by the other sites (Adams, Clarke, and Valley).
o The department has purchased 10 portable pickleball nets on wheels. The nets will be
set up at the six pickleball courts at Clarke and four pickleball courts at Adams.
Misc:
• In response to the 2020 Community Needs Assessment and the 2022 Open and Space and
Recreation Plan, staff continue to work to provide programs and services based on the needs
and demands of the two statistically valid surveys. The demand for outdoor programming
remain in high demand post pandemic. Attached please see the attached Memo of
Understanding between the Recreation & Community Programs Department and the
Conservation Commission for the anticipated and ongoing use of their properties. This was
reviewed during the 3/20/23 Conservation Commission and will an update from Recreation will
be provided to both the Recreation Committee and Conservation Commission in the early fall.
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Frederick DeAngelis, Chair
Christian Boutwell, Vice Chair
Lisa O'Brien
Carl Fantasia
Claire Sheth
Weiwei Li
Renen Bassik
February 21, 2023
Town oi-Lexington
Recreation Committee
Ms. Melissa Cryan
Division of Conservation Services
Executive Office of Environmental Affairs
100 Cambridge Street
Boston, MA 02002
Re: 2023 Open Space and Recreation Plan
Dear Ms. Cryan,
Tel: (781) 698-4800
Fax: (781) 861-2747
recreationcmteMexingtonma.gov
The Recreation Committee was pleased to review the draft of the Town of Lexington's Open
Space and Recreation Plan for 2023. The Committee has reviewed the goals and objectives and
the 7 -year action plan and would like to express its full support. At its February 15, 2023
meeting, the Recreation Committee voted unanimously to support the plan.
We look forward to a continued relationship of working to improve our open space, parks and
playgrounds and the new program opportunities that the Department of Recreation and
Community Program will be able to provide the community.
The Recreation Committee truly appreciates all of the time and effort that was invested in the
Open Space and Recreation Plan update by residents who participated in the public forums, the
Town -wide survey and by Town staff. The Recreation Committee will continue to partner with
other Town departments and the community to implement the goals of the plan and recognize
the plan as a vital planning tool for the future of Lexington.
Sincerely
Frederick UeAelis, Chair
Recreation Committee
1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE • LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02420
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Lexington
RECREATION & COMMUNITY
P R O O RA Al S
MEMORANDUM
To: Lexington Conservation Commission
Fr: Melissa Battite, Director of Recreation & Community Programs
Re: Memo of Understanding
February 27, 2023
The Recreation and Community Programs Department together with the Conservation
Department propose the attached Memo of Understanding (MOU). This MOU has been
created in an effort to continue to meet the needs and demands of the Community while
maintaining the integrity of the Recreation Enterprise Fund and use of the Town of Lexington
Conservation properties.
The 2022 Community Needs Assessment, 2022 Open Space and Recreation Plan and
community demand for ongoing, drop in and organized outdoor programming supports the
programming in Outdoor Recreation Facilities and Open Spaces, including Conservation spaces.
The Recreation & Community Programs Department is a self-supporting organization through
the Recreation Enterprise Fund. An Enterprise Fund must recover all of its expenses through
the revenue it generates. In order for the Enterprise Fund to remain financially sustainable, the
program fees are annually reviewed through a market analysis, trends and demands. The
Department utilizes a program worksheet to determine the fees, financial aid and the direct
and indirect overhead expenses associated with the Fund. Attached is a sample worksheet that
is used to assist in the budget development for programs and services.
We look forward to continuing our use of the Conservation spaces, such as the Pop -Up events
offered through the CHNA-15 Grant in 2020-2021 which were overwhelming popular. As we
continue to offer programs without grant support, a nominal fee will be assessed and within
the program expenses will account for a payment to the Lexington Nature Trust per permit
approved.
Thank you for your consideration and support.
Cc: Christine Dean, Community Center Director
Karen Mullins, Conservation Director
Amber Carr, Conservation Landsteward Program Coordinator
Recreation Committee
Creating Community Through People, Parks & Places
Budget Worksheet FY23
-- --
-
---
-- —
_
Cost Center !Community Center
Program Areai outh & Family_--
- -- --
Program Name - intro to Orienteering - -
-
- - --
-
Season !Spring
Hours X9:30-11:OOam
Days May 6, 13, 20, 27
Minumum to Operate !10
Maximum_ to operate ji 12
Location Trails and Clarke
Salaries ;Position
Instructor
How many# ;Hourly Rate
1 $0.00
Number of weeks INumberofhours
'1 $ -
TBD
0 0 .00
0.00
0
0
$
!TBD
Inclusion Aide
... - - -
1 $17.50
- - - - -
4
- -
2
--
$
j $ (105.00)
!Training hours
Total
-
_$
I $ (105.00)
Expenses Type
,per week Number of weeks
- # of participants -
Total
Contracted Services
x$20.00 14
9
$ (720.00)
Supplies
$0.00 1
1
$ -
- --
Equipment - -
x$0.00 0
0
-
Food/Refreshments
$0.00 18
--- -
0
- --
$ -
$ -
IFirstAid $0.00 �1 10
Transportation
;Utilities !$0.00
$0.00 1
1
0
0
$ -
$ -
PPE
Marketin..
$0.00 1
$0.00
10
$
- - -
Other
Rental - flat rate
i0__
$0.00 0
- . _
0
j0 --
---
-- --- --
$50.00
I $ ---
-
$ (50.00)
--- -------------------
Total
------------------
i
-
$ (770.00)
Total
�- - _
j 1
Total
--
-
--- ----
-
$ (797.45)
overhead
- -
Total
$717,702.80 900
Total Expenses
$ (1,672.45)
Revenues
Per Session !Number of Sessions
2023 proposed
10 it
$185.00
$ 1,850.00
$ 1,850.00
Minimum Participants
Program Total
$ 177.55
To: Recreation Committee
From: Weiwei Li, Recreation Committee Liaison to LPSC
Brian Kelley, Lincoln Park Sub Committee (LPSC)
Date: March 15, 2023
Re: Membership
The Lincoln Park Sub Committee met this evening, Wednesday, March 15th, and
voted the following members continue their terms as follows:
Brian Kelley, Chair, term expires 12/30/2024
Joanne Shorter, Vice Chair, term expires 12/30/2024
David Williams, member, term expires 12/30/2025
The vote was unanimous 4-0.
Thank you for your consideration.
Town of Lexington/
Recreation and Community Programs
39 Marrett Rd.
Lexington, Ma. 02420
3-1-2022
Request for a Memorial Bench at Lincoln Park
Dear Committee Members,
I am requesting approval for a granite bench to be placed in Lincoln Park as a memorial
to Tiffany Fontanez. Tiffany was a lifelong resident of Lexington until her untimely passing on
December 15th, 2021, to a brain aneurism. Tiffany lived at 193 Bedford St. she attended
Estabrook Elementary, Diamond Middle and finally graduated Lexington High School in 2008.
Tiffany lived with her mother and her younger brother. Next door lived Tiffany's grandparents
who also lived in Lexington most of their lives. Tiffany's great grandfather Wallace Weisinger
was a callman for the Lexington Fire Department 1933-1974, making Tiffany a fourth generation
Lextonian. Tiffany's grandfather Wayne Devaney being a WW2 vet was a huge role model for
her, he instilled Tiffany with strong values, good morals, and civic pride.
Sadly, Tiffany's grandfather died and shortly after her mother suffered a stroke during a
spinal operation leaving her unable to walk or speak. In the years after, Tiffany took
guardianship of her younger brother until he was able to graduate Lexington high school.
Eventually the property was sold and redeveloped like so many other houses in the town.
I also grew up in Lexington. I first met Tiffany in high school, but we did not date until
many years later. We were in a relationship for over 6 years; she was my best friend and my
partner for life. In the time we were together I was constantly amazed with her acts of kindness
and generosity, she was always so proud to be from Lexington, often sharing the towns great
history with others.
Lexington is a beautiful town with an amazing history, but even more than that,
Lexington is a strong community made up of good people and Tiffany was one of those people.
So, I humbly request this committee and communities' approval for a memorial to be made for
one of Lexington's own.
We want to thank the committee for your time and consideration on this matter.
-Best Regards Nicholas Bonanno and Greta Anderson
(Tiffany at Pilgrim Monument, Provincetown)
(Tiffany's Great Grandfathers, Wallace Weisinger Retirement Gift)
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Lexington
RECREATION &COMMUNITY
r
Town of Lexington
Recreation and Community Programs
Melissa Battite, CPRP
Director of Recreation and Community Programs
To: Recreation Committee
From: Peter Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation
Date: March 16, 2023
Subject: Request for Extended Hours of Athletic Lighting at Lincoln #2
Tel: 781-698-4800
Fax: 781-861-2747
Over the past 18 months, a number of factors have caused the LHS Athletics program to frequently
experience time overruns in their scheduled field use. The factors include the Lexington Public Schools
change to later start times, which result in a later start time for after-school LHS Athletics, a statewide
shortage of officials for games, the need for back-to-back games to accommodate the lack of officials,
and more frequently late visiting teams resulting bus shortages and traffic during the later travel times.
The time overruns experienced by LHS Athletics have a trickle-down effect that results in the loss of field
time for the community organizations that depend on the fields for their programming like Lexington
United Soccer Club (LUSC), Lexington Youth Lacrosse (LYL), and United Cricket League (UCL). In Spring
2022, a 15 -minute buffer time was added between the permits for LHS Athletics and for these other
organizations. The approach was successful in reducing unforeseen delays and cancellations for the
community organizations.
In Fall 2022, as approved by the Recreation Committee, the light time at Lincoln #2 was extended by 30
minutes with the field lights going off at 9:00pm and the parking lot lights going off at 9:15pm. The light
time extension during the Fall 2022 season went well and it is recommended to have that light schedule
in place for the entire 2023 season.
In an effort to provide organizations with adequate time for league play and practices on days of LHS
Athletics home games and to minimize impacts throughout the season, our request is the following:
To extend the current access to the athletic lights at Lincoln #2 for up to 30 additional minutes,
from 8:30pm to 9:00pm for the field lights and from 8:45pm to 9:15pm for the parking lot
lights, on weeknights during the 2023 season (April 3rd through November 24th). This would be
done on an as -needed basis and will likely include Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in the
spring and every weeknight in the fall.
Thank you for your consideration.
Cc: Sports Advisory Council
11
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Recreation Committee Request:
2023 Special Event Permit for LFM use of Worthen Road Practice Field
Calendar and Dates of Operation
May 30- October 31, 2 pm - 6:30 pm; market closes at 6 pm in October. Note that the market
will not be in operation on July 4.
Set up will begin at approximately 11:15 - noon and the market site will be cleared by 7:30 pm.
November 21 (Thanksgiving FEASTival), 12-4 pm. Set up will begin at 10 am and the market site
will be cleared by 5 pm. On market days, LFM staff will remain onsite until all farmers and
vendors have left.
Signage:
Two banners, 8 ft. x 5 feet to be hung on the fence abutting Crumb Football Field and facing
Worthen Road as in 2022. Double Banner 8x3 with Food Assistance Logos.pdf
One small 5x3 foot banner to be hung on storage shed.
Fees:
RE UEST that fees for site use are waived, same as 2021, 2022 and previously at Fletcher Park.
Bathrooms (required to provide restroom access for farmers/vendors)
• Access to restrooms by tennis courts through November 21, 2023 Thanksgiving
F EASTiva I .
Barricades:
• REQUEST that the DPW place yellow barricades along Worthen Road and down the bike
path to the entrance of the market space as in 2022. These barricades
o prevent customers from entering the market space during setup when vehicles
are moving on the site
o create a safe entrance space on a level surface
o assist in monitoring market capacity
o enable the LFM to enforce BOH and Rec. Comm regulations banning dogs onsite
o provide a security barrier behind farmers and vendors whose tents back up to
Worthen Road (managing market flow and diminishing chance of theft)
o prevents vehicular threats to public safety
There is no need for barricades along the woods or backing up to Crumb football field fence.
Farmers and Vendors/Capacity, Tents & Parking:
• Total of —28 tents each market day, including artisans, musicians and community tent
• Tents are weighted and/or staked into the ground for safety in wind
• Vendors drive onsite for easy loading/unloading; based on storage (farms), energy
generation needs (generators) or ADA and mobility needs, a limited number of vendors
keep their vehicles onsite by their tents by previous agreement with Market Manager.
• We estimate that there will be a maximum of 14 vehicles on site per market, and
frequently less. These vehicles will be parked on the perimeter of the market space.
• Those vehicles not remaining on site would park further down Worthen Road or in the
Park Drive parking area by the small baseball field.
Customer Parking:
• Adequate parking is available on Worthen Road, the center playground lot and in the
surrounding area and reserved by traffic cones put out Monday evening before market
day.
• Following procedures devised last year in conjunction with the Lexington Police Dept,
spots will be reserved closest to the market for ADA and senior parking.
• *New request (see below): ADA parking will be marked on Worthen Road and seasonal
ADA signage for 1-2 spots will be posted by the baseball diamond outfield fence and by
the Worthen Road entrance to the access road.
Market Storage:
Lexington Farmers' Market will continue to store all of its materials outside of the market hours
in the shed built onsite for this purpose. The only exception will be for planks/boards provided
by the Department of Public Works to lay down at the entrance in case of inclement weather.
Garbage/Recycling:
• The LFM will work with DPW re garbage and recycling bin dropoff and pickup, as in 2022,
as well as Black Earth Compost for a compost bin.
Inclement Weather:
• LFM staff will consult with the Recreation Committee and the Department of Public
Works as to field conditions in case of inclement weather
Alcohol Use Policy
As permitted by the Town of Lexington, the Select Board and the MA Department of Agricultural
Resources, the LFM requests a continuation of the 2021 Alcohol Sales policy at the weekly
farmers' market. In 2023, the same guest vendor will sell mead (honey wine) and hard cider,
attending approximately monthly and at the Thanksgiving FEASTival. There is no consumption
on site, including no sampling and no sales to anyone under 21 years old per state law.
NEW REQUESTS for 2023
ADA Parking
REQUEST to have seasonal ADA parking spots marked at the entrance to the access road and
additional semi-permanent/seasonal ADA parking spot(s) marked in the parking area along the
baseball outfield fence, per prior agreement with the Department of Public Works and
Recreation Dept. The new spots by the outfield fence will allow for wheelchair users to more
safely access the market site.
Food Truck
REQUEST to allow a hummus food truck to participate in the market as in 2022. This food truck
would attend biweekly at the market, making hummus and tabouli bowls onsite for customers.
• The food vendor would be required to have all the appropriate permits from the
Lexington Board of Health and receive approval from the Town Manager's office as well.
• The food truck would be located close to the market shed and is approximately 25 feet
in length.
• As in 2022, the food truck benefits shoppers attending the market, as well as high school
students and families who attend after school looking for ready to eat foods.
• Note: the LFM does not plan on seeking out more food trucks to participate in the
weekly market.
Entrance Boards
We would like to work with the DPW and Recreation Department to find a more effective
method to cover and protect the entrance area in order to limit mud and turf damage and
maintain a safe entrance area for customer access.
REQUEST: roll of matting or similar appropriate material, and/or wider wooden boards to put
out during wet conditions.
"No
Recreation Committee Update: March 2022
Update and review of 2021 LFM use of Worthen Road Practice Field
The Lexington Farmers' Market use of the Worthen Road Practice Field was an unqualified
success. Feedback from customers, farmers and vendors and LFM staff was overwhelmingly
positive, specifically noting the improved parking, open and beautiful space, community feel
and positive "vibe" as part of the Center Recreation Complex. LFM leadership built strong
partnerships with town departments to navigate challenges that arose. We are extremely
grateful to the Recreation Committee, Department of Public Works and Town Manager's
office for their support and assistance in making this a successful transition.
Following are specifics related to the field use:
Field Conditions:
• Over the course of the season, the field conditions were not significantly impacted
thanks to LFM rules and regulations. To minimize damage, farmers and vendors were
required to abide by a 5 mph maximum speed limit while on the field.
• With the assistance of the Lexington DPW, midway through the season LFM staff and
volunteers placed wooden boards at the entrance to protect the high trafficked areas.
• Trash and recycling pickup and additional safety cones were provided by the DPW.
• On average, nine essential vehicles remained on site during market hours, including
farmers/vendors who required generators for cooling products per BOH requirements.
Market Perimeter/Barricades:
• The DPW installed barricades around the market site for the full season which were
essential in creating a safe market environment with a single entrance and exit. LFM staff
were able to monitor the field in order to ensure appropriate use and enforce rules and
regulations, including no dogs allowed on site.
Inclement weather:
• The LFM worked closely with Hayato Tsurumaki and the Lexington DPW, especially Chris
Filadoro and Kevin Wallace, to monitor weather and adapt field use in the case of
inclement weather, including moving tents away from areas without adequate drainage .
The drainage on the fields was generally excellent, and luckily rainstorms rarely occurred
during market hours.
• Thanks to the quick response of Peter Coleman, the Lexington Police and the DPW,
an abbreviated and smaller final market of the season (end of October) was held in the
Town Pool parking lot due to a nor'easter storm and soggy field conditions
General Parking:
• Customers parked on Worthen Road and surrounding public parking areas.
Farmers/vendors also used the parking lot for the small baseball field on Park Drive.
• With support from the Lexington Police Department and dedicated signage, the LFM was
able to provide adequate senior, ADA, and standard customer parking.
• LHS students driving to school were receptive on market days, and respected the posted
signage reserving spots for LFM customers.
Tennis &
Pickleball Working
Recreation Committee Report
MARCH 2ND 2023
Contents
I. Working Group Background, Membership and Charge
II. Existing Conditions
A. Supply
1. Outdoor
1a. Tennis Court Specific Benchmarking
1b. Pickleball Court Specific Benchmarking
2. Indoor
B. Demand
C. Conflicting Needs/Concerns
1. Format of Play
2. Environmental Impact
3. Gallagher Reconstruction Impact
4. Recreation and Community Programs Budgeting
III. Options for Increasing Pickleball in Lexington
A. Short(er)-Term Strategies
Options 1-9
B. Long(er)-Term Strategies
IV. Site Selection Criteria
V. Preliminary Sites Recommendations for Dedicated Pickleball Court Construction
VI. Conclusion
VII. Attachments
1. Mateflex Quote
2. Snapsport Quote
3. Quiet Paddle Recommendations
4. Unetich Sound Study
5. Fairfax Site Selection Criteria
6. Fairfax Design Specifications
7. Fairfax Maintenance and Operations Guidelines
Additional Reference for Consideration:
Fairfax County, VA Pickleball Study:
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/sites/parks/files/assets/documents/plandev/final%20pickleball
%20study%20report-dec%202021.pdf
H
I. WORKING GROUP BACKGROUND, MEMBERSHIP AND CHARGE
Per the Recreation and Community Programs capital planning process, the need for major
reconstruction of the tennis courts located in the Center Recreation Complex—the Gallagher Tennis
Courts— was identified for completion during the 2023 summer season. These courts were
constructed in 2000, have undergone considerable refurbishment in 2015 and 2016, and have now
been deemed at the end of their useful life by industry standards and the Recreation and Community
Programs Department's cons ultant—Activitas, Inc. Consequently, the courts must be fully
reconstructed. During the public process associated with all major construction projects in town,
concerns were raised by abutters to this property about the increased noise that the 2018 inclusion
of pickleball lines on 4 of the 10 tennis courts generated.
Concurrently, Recreation and Community Programs staff were fielding multiple requests among
pickleball enthusiasts in town to increase the year-round availability of pickleball in Lexington. Those
advocating for more pickleball cited the swiftness with which winter pickleball clinics were filled
during enrollment periods (often within 1 hour of registration opening), the size of waitlists for
programs, and the absence of a specific style of pickleball play—"open play"—as evidence of the
need to prioritize increasing pickleball resources in town.
Seeking a collaborative approach through which these two competing concerns—environmental
impact of existing (and future) pickleball resources and the desire for more pickleball opportunities—
could be addressed, the Recreation Committee (RC) determined in May 2022 to establish an ad hoc
working group—the Tennis and Pickleball Working Group (TPWG). Membership of the TPWG was by
invitation. Recreation staff identified a cross-section of stakeholders who would provide
comprehensive input to the process, including court abutters, tennis -only players, pickle -ball only
players, enthusiasts of both sports, school personnel, RC members and Recreation staff. RC member,
Claire Sheth served as the primary liaison and group facilitator on behalf of the RC and Peter
Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation served as primary liaison on behalf of Recreation and
Community Programs staff. Ultimately, the following 12 people contributed to this effort:
Mona Altschuler
Tennis Player and Board Member of the Battle Green Tennis League
Melissa Battite
Director, Recreation and Community Programs
Christian Boutwell
Recreation Committee Vice Chair
Peter Coleman
Assistant Director of Recreation
Rick DeAngelis
Recreation Committee Chair
Doreen Karoll
Pickleball Player
Hal Miller -Jacobs
Pickleball Player
Hien Nguyen
Pickleball and Tennis Player
Richard Petrasso
Gallagher Courts Abutter, Parker Street Resident
Darren Rough
Gallagher Courts Abutter, Parker Street Residents
Eamonn Sheehan
Lexington Public Schools Physical Education, Health, & Wellness Coordinator
Claire Sheth
Recreation Committee Member, RC Liaison to the TPWG
Bruce Yap
Pickleball Player
The working group's charge was to provide high-level problem -solving support to Recreation Staff
and Committee members such that advocacy to make meaningful operational changes and fund
2
enhancements to existing, and construction of new, hard -court surfaces for racquet -based sports
comes from a place of thoughtful, well -considered inquiry that withstands the scrutiny of the Town's
key decision -makers (boards, finance committees and Annual Town Meeting). Specifically, the RC and
Staff were looking to the TPWG to provide guidance on the following:
Short -Term Considerations
1. Explore opportunities for increasing indoor play during the 2022-2023 winter season and
beyond.
2. Identify possible strategies for offsetting the diminished availability of outdoor courts during
the Gallagher reconstruction project during the summer/fall 2023 seasons.
Long -Term Considerations
1. Establish site criteria to guide construction of future racquet -court projects.
2. Identify possible locations for dedicated pickleball court construction project(s).
To inform working group recommendations, considerable effort was undertaken to create a shared
understanding of:
• capital planning and funding processes in town,
• existing supply and demand dynamics of racquet sport -based assets in Lexington,
• local and national trend data regarding the relative popularity of tennis and pickleball,
• key distinctions between tennis and pickleball with respect to format of play, and
• concerns related to the environmental impact of pickleball noise on residents whose homes
abut courts
Between July 2022 and February 2023, the TPWG met six times. Agendas of, and minutes for, each of
the six meetings can be accessed via the shared Google drive TPWG Google folder.
II. EXISTING CONDITIONS
Lexington has always had a robust community of avid tennis players and the Town has invested
meaningful resources and allocations of land to meet the demands of this user group—despite the
limited open space and competing demands/needs for open space that do exist. Lexington's hard -
court resources have been further stretched within the last 5 years due to renewed interest in
socially -distanced sports, like tennis, during the COVID-19 pandemic and growing interest in a
relatively new year-round paddle -based sport—pickleball. While pickleball has been an exciting and
welcome addition to the Recreation and Community Programs Department's offerings, balancing its
popularity and requirements with those of tennis outdoors, and basketball indoors, has placed
significant burdens on our already stretched courts and gyms. In this section, the tennis and pickleball
"supply and demand" data that informed working group discussion is summarized.
3
A. Supply
1. Outdoor Play
Lexington is home to 17 striped tennis courts, and, through dual -lining (shared use) of pickleball lines
on 11 of those 17 courts, 18 striped pickleball courts, consistent with USTA learn to play guidelines.
The following table summarizes the allocation of court type across the four Town -owned court
locations.
Court Name
# of Total Tennis
# Tennis Only
# of Dual -Lined for
Pickleball
# of Pickleball Only
Gallagher
10
6
4
0
Clarke
3
0
6
0
Adams
2
0
4
0
Valley
2
0
4
0
Totals
17
6
18
0
One question posed during the working group process was whether benchmarking data exists in
terms of recommended concentration of tennis and pickleball courts per number of residents within
a community. Some figures were shared during the October TPWG meeting (see October 12 meeting
minutes in shared drive) and have been expanded upon below. The following research findings are
intended for loose benchmarking purposes only and include comparisons nationally and locally.
1.0 Tennis Court -Specific Benchmarking
From: https://www.hvilletn.org/home/showpublisheddocument19482/637596299980570000
June 2021 Report
Hendersonville, TN
Coppell, TX
Johnson City, TN
Smyrna, TN
Lexington, MA
(2018 pop data)
Population
57,083
41,600
66,515
50,000
33,792
# of Tennis Courts
12
4
16
6
17
Ratio of
Courts/Population
1 per 4,757
1 per 10,000
1 per 4,157
1 per 8,333
1 per 1,988
From: https://www.bangormaine.gov/filestorage/318/352/5981 bangor master plan final 1.pdf
Tennis & Basketball Courts
Benchmark Comparisons
Density 500-1500 per mi2
Population <36k
New England Region
�,• 3,�i1
Bangor
2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000
O Tennis courts ioutdoor only) V Basketball courts
4
Per the 2021 City of Bangor, Maine Parks and Recreation Master Plan document, "agencies in the
New England region and those with populations under 39,000 typically offer between 8-9 tennis
courts [1 per 4,500]..."(p.27). Per the 2022 NPRA (National Parks and Recreation Association) Agency
Performance Review, the typical recreation agency has "one outdoor tennis court for every 5,608
residents" (https://www.nrpa org/siteassets/2022-nrpa-agency-performance-review pdf p.9).
At a 1: 1,988 ratio of tennis courts per/total population, Lexington is operating well -above capacity
when compared to regional and national averages.
1.b Pickleball Specific Benchmarking
Less information was readily available for pickleball court per population ratios than for tennis.
Moreover, ratios that do exist are distorted by the fact that existing studies do not differentiate the
number of dedicated pickleball courts from those that have been created through dual lining of
tennis courts. That being said, the December 2021 Pickleball study commissioned by Fairfax County
shared the following ratios (based on 2019 population data) for the mid-Atlantic region:
(https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/sites/parks/files/assets/docu ments/piand ev/final%20picklebaI1 % 20stu dV%20repor
t-dec%202021.pdf, p.30)
FIGURE 16: REGIONAL NUMBER OF TOTAL PICKLEBALL COURTS PER CAPITA, 2019
Arlington
1 per 12,465
Alexandria (City)
1 per 19,928
Fairfax County Park Authority
1 per 24,700
Prince William
1 per 33,595
Montgomery (MD)
1 per 37,536
Smaller Jurisdictions:
Town of Vienna 1 per 2,355
Falls Church 1 per 3,654
Fairfax (City) 1 per 4,003
At 1:1,877 Lexington, again, compares favorably to other municipalities nationally in terms of total
number of pickleball courts generally, but not dedicated pickleball courts specifically. Dual -lining of
existing tennis court facilities has been the prevailing strategy by which municipalities have created
pickleball capacity, as reinforced by the following figure from the Fairfax County Pickleball study (p.
29).
FIGURE 15: NUMBER OF EIUSTING OWWOR COURTS IN THE METRO WASHINGTON, DC REGION—JULY 2021
60
Burlington
Concord
Waltham
Woburn
Lexington
Population
26,000
25,000
50
64,000
41,000
33,792
# of tennis courts
14
7
10
�
10
17
# of pickleball courts
4 (dedicated)
3 dedicated
6 blended
3 blended
•
18 dual lined
0
2 on basketball
10
(10)
Ratio of Tennis
1:1,857
1:3,571
1:1,250
1:9,142
1:4,100
1:1,987
Courts/Population
4
Ratio of Pickleball
1 per 6,500
10
•
1 per 21,333
1 per 4,100
1 per 1,877
Courts/Population
m
i
18
20
E 10
•
8
68
7
1°
e2
••0
e
•s�
4
:.
s0
0�
s0
a0
g
Fairfax
City of
Arlington, VA
Alontgamery
Prince
Town of
(try of Falls
Cconly Park
Alexandria,
County, MD
William
Vienna, VA
(hurch,VA
Authority
VA
County, VA
a Shared Use with Tennis
a Dedicaled Picklehal60nly
More locally, Lexington court configurations compare to our neighbors here in Massachusetts as
follows:
While Lexington still holds up admirably within Middlesex County, in terms of courts/population,
what was reinforced by TPWG members is that other towns' commitment to offering drop-in, "open -
play" format makes pickleball seem more accessible in those communities due to Lexington's current
mechanisms for court reservations and allocations of dedicated use.
2. Indoor Play
One advantage that pickleball has over tennis is the relative ease by which it can be converted to an
indoor activity, in that nets and lines are portable and pickleball can be played in any
multipurpose/gym surface provided the space meets minimum court dimension specifications
(44'Lx20'W/PB court). Given this flexibility, benchmarking for indoor courts was difficult to come by,
but one frame of reference is the Fairfax County ratio of 52 outdoor courts to 6 indoor courts (8.6:1)
according to the following parameters:
9
Belmont
Burlington
Concord
Waltham
Woburn
Lexington
Population
26,000
25,000
18,000
64,000
41,000
33,792
# of tennis courts
14
7
8
7
10
17
# of pickleball courts
4 (dedicated)
3 dedicated
6 blended
3 blended
4 designated
18 dual lined
4 blended
2 on basketball
(10)
Ratio of Tennis
1:1,857
1:3,571
1:1,250
1:9,142
1:4,100
1:1,987
Courts/Population
Ratio of Pickleball
1 per 6,500
1 per 8,333
1 per 3,000
1 per 21,333
1 per 4,100
1 per 1,877
Courts/Population
While Lexington still holds up admirably within Middlesex County, in terms of courts/population,
what was reinforced by TPWG members is that other towns' commitment to offering drop-in, "open -
play" format makes pickleball seem more accessible in those communities due to Lexington's current
mechanisms for court reservations and allocations of dedicated use.
2. Indoor Play
One advantage that pickleball has over tennis is the relative ease by which it can be converted to an
indoor activity, in that nets and lines are portable and pickleball can be played in any
multipurpose/gym surface provided the space meets minimum court dimension specifications
(44'Lx20'W/PB court). Given this flexibility, benchmarking for indoor courts was difficult to come by,
but one frame of reference is the Fairfax County ratio of 52 outdoor courts to 6 indoor courts (8.6:1)
according to the following parameters:
9
TABLE 2: PICKLEBALL OFFERINGS AT PARK AUTHORITY RECENTERS
# OF PICKLEBALL
COURTS
Lee D/strict 1 2
Providence Varies (Taped
Lines)
Spring Hill 4
SCHEDULING
Classes only.
Reservations planned for
future.
Varies
Classes only.
Reservations planned for
future.
NOTES
Striping taped on floor. Could
accommodate more for
events.
Programming and Classes
Striping taped on floor
As was discussed during the TPWG meetings, indoor gym space is very much at a premium in
Lexington, in part due to under -sized gyms in 3 of our 6 elementary schools (Bowman, Bridge and
Harrington) and meaningful demand from other indoor sports programs including the Recreation and
Community Programs Department's traditional winter leagues, clinics and classes, high school and
middle school sports teams and other youth and adult leagues in town. With that said, effort was
made during the TPWG process to come up with creative solutions to increase the availability of
winter pickleball, with some success.
• Recreation staff adjusted the youth basketball league practice schedule to increase the
number of pickleball sessions offered at Diamond Middle School.
• TPWG members conducted outreach to a variety of facilities to assess the possibility of adding
pickleball at their locations, including:
o Gym at the Lexington Public Schools Administrative Offices
o Cary Hall/Battin Hall
o Waldorf School
o Grace Chapel
o Hayden Recreation Centre
Other school facilities were not considered due to known conflicts with existing uses. The results of
these efforts and a year-to-year comparison of 2021/2022 availability of indoor pickleball to
2022/2023 availability is summarized in the following chart:
7
TPWG members should be commended for their advocacy and efforts to effectively quadruple the
availability of indoor pickleball during the 2022/2023 winter season. One recommendation to
pickleball enthusiasts is that, should they organize to create a pickleball-specific league that, they
consider incorporating rental fees for Grace Chapel and indoor drop-in play through Recreation
(should such offerings be created) into their annual membership fee. Such an arrangement is
comparable to how other Lexington -based leagues (youth soccer, basketball) augment their space
requirements and membership fees. However, coordinating such a league falls outside of the
purview of the Town's Recreation and Community Programs Department, but this recommendation
is included here for such an effort's consideration.
While Lexington's current capacity for both tennis and pickleball appears envy -worthy compared to
many other communities and regions locally and beyond, it is important to factor in Lexington's
deviation from regional and national averages in terms of demand for racquet -based sports
(particularly pickleball), and how Lexington operationalizes its access to courts because of high
demand. These factors are considered in the following section.
2021
2022
Diamond (3 courts)
M 6-7:30pm
Requires prior -registration
Tu 6-8pm
M 6-7:30 pm and 7:30-9pm
Th 6-8pm
Tu 6-8pm and 8-10pm
= 5.5 hrs/wk
Th 6-8pm and 8-10pm
=11 hrs/wk
Hayden Recreation
0
Interested players must register for annual membership --
$300 adults under 60; $215 over 60—available to Lexington
residents only)- FOLLOWS OPEN PLAY FORMAT
W/F 6:45-8:00am
Tu/Th 12:15-2:45pm;
Sa 8:15-9:15am
= 9.5 hrs/wk
Grace Chapel
0
Available most weekdays before 3:00pm for a fee of $140/2 hr
session; $300 safety deposit
Waldorf School
Space deemed inappropriate for PB use
School Administration Gym
Space deemed inappropriate for PB use
Bridge, Bowman and
0
Space deemed inappropriate for PB use
Harrington Gyms
Cary/Battin Hall
0
Space deemed inappropriate for PB use
Totals
5.5 hrs/wk
20.5 hrs/wk (with untapped potential for private league
coordination with Grace Chapel)
TPWG members should be commended for their advocacy and efforts to effectively quadruple the
availability of indoor pickleball during the 2022/2023 winter season. One recommendation to
pickleball enthusiasts is that, should they organize to create a pickleball-specific league that, they
consider incorporating rental fees for Grace Chapel and indoor drop-in play through Recreation
(should such offerings be created) into their annual membership fee. Such an arrangement is
comparable to how other Lexington -based leagues (youth soccer, basketball) augment their space
requirements and membership fees. However, coordinating such a league falls outside of the
purview of the Town's Recreation and Community Programs Department, but this recommendation
is included here for such an effort's consideration.
While Lexington's current capacity for both tennis and pickleball appears envy -worthy compared to
many other communities and regions locally and beyond, it is important to factor in Lexington's
deviation from regional and national averages in terms of demand for racquet -based sports
(particularly pickleball), and how Lexington operationalizes its access to courts because of high
demand. These factors are considered in the following section.
B. Demand
A number of sources were consulted to assess demand for tennis and pickleball nationally and in
Lexington. One thing that became abundantly clear is that demand for both is high and growing.
According to the United States Tennis Association (USTA), tennis participation in the United States
has grown by 33 percent since the start of 2020, with more than 23.6 million people playing tennis in
2022 (https://www.clubindustry.com/industry-news/us-tennis-participation-grew-one-million-players-2022).
While this growth is impressive, a recent accounting of pickleball growth over the same period
suggests 158.6% growth with an estimated 14% of Americans playing pickleball at least 1x between
2021 and 2022 and an estimated 36.5 million pickleball players in the United States overall according
to a very recently released study of the Association of Pickleball Professionals.
(https://www.pickleheads.com/bloc/pickleball-statistics).
As referenced above, the popularity of racquet -based sports in Lexington is also notable. The 2020
Community Needs Assessment conducted on behalf of the Town by Pros Consulting found that, at
that time, the Market Potential Index for tennis far outpaced that of other sports in town (and
nationally) according to the following figure.
General Sports MPI
■®Lexington —National Average
200 163
160
160 153
N
140
120 115
1n 100
EL 80 60 71 68
60
40
20
0
Tennis Golf Soccer Baseball Basketball Softball Volleyball Football
Figure 4: General Sparts MPl Statistics
From: https://www.lexingtonma Pov/DocumentCenter/View/1513/CommunitV-Needs-Assessment-Report-with-Full-
Appendix-PDF?bidld=, p.7
Pickleball was not specifically studied at the time of that report, which was not an oversight. Its
exclusion at that time further highlights the incredible rate of pickleball growth in the three years
since that study was undertaken.
Other attempts to deduce "market share" for tennis and pickleball during the working group process
included TPWG member, Bruce Yaps, extrapolations from population figures, USTA data, and
estimates related to rates of play based on personal experience and conversation among other
working group members. Per Bruce's calculations, a ballpark sense of relative demand for tennis and
pickleball is as follows:
0j
US pop (in M)
1 330
Aug
10
Jan
Feb
Lex pop
34000
May
June
TOTAL
Pickleball Courts
July
US players (in M) ;% US
players projected Lex players times/mo hrs/session total hrs/mo total
hrs/year
tennis18
5.5% 1855
Mar
1.5
27,818
June
333,818164%
Tennis Courts
pball 5
1.5% 515
10
3 15,455
185,455 36%
01
0
0
Clarke
519,273
Assumptions:
48 30 7 0
Gallagher
2,4301
2,162
average x/month played=10
2,065
1,167
0 0
0
average # of hrs played/session: 1.5 hrs for tennis; 3 for pickleball
1,992
1,916
Another, albeit imperfect, tool to help RC members consider the relative interest of tennis to
pickleball within Lexington in FY2022 (July 2021 -June 2022) is an analysis of the PlayLocal court
reservation data that Peter Coleman analyzed and presented to the TPWG.
July
Aug
10
Jan
Feb
Mar
FY2022
May
June
TOTAL
Pickleball Courts
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov Dec
Another, albeit imperfect, tool to help RC members consider the relative interest of tennis to
pickleball within Lexington in FY2022 (July 2021 -June 2022) is an analysis of the PlayLocal court
reservation data that Peter Coleman analyzed and presented to the TPWG.
The imperfections of this data in terms of accurately reflecting relative court use is grounded in the
fact the bottom line of pickleball court reservations is very likely (and potentially meaningfully) lower
than actual because, according to pickleball representatives on the TPWG, many individuals who
reserve courts for pickleball reserve and designate their reservation as tennis such that they are
granted use of 2 pickleball courts, creating opportunities for more pickleballers to play within that
reservation. This both under -represents pickleball in the above table and, to a degree, inflates tennis
reservation numbers. To get a more accurate accounting of reservation type moving forward,
Recreation staff are encouraged to think of new ways, through the PlayLocal app or otherwise, to
encourage pickleballers to accurately designate their reservation.
With all of that said, in analyzing the distinctions between tennis and pickleball reservations, this
writer encourages the reader to only consider topline reservations for tennis/facility (exclude school
use, leagues and lessons) since comparable uses for pickleball (leagues/lessons) do not yet exist on
our outdoor courts and consideration of relative use of each facility by sport. Per the PlayLocal data, a
facility -facility comparison of tennis to pickleball reservations for FY2022 is as follows:
10
July
Aug
Tennis Court Permit Hours
Jan
Feb
Mar
FY2022
May
June
TOTAL
Pickleball Courts
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
TOTAL
Tennis Courts
OF -0 0 0 0
0
0
0
01
01
0
0
Clarke
19
30
48 30 7 0
Gallagher
2,4301
2,162
2,070
2,065
1,167
0 0
0
0
1,992
1,916
1,997
15,799
Clarke
8181
788
567
336
214
0 0
0
0
537
569
603
4,432
Adams
516
458
458
428
180
0 0
0
0
288
536
495
3,359
Valley
292
556
482
462
211
0 0
0
0
453
557
638
3,651
School Use/MIAA
0
63
1,144
1,064
888
0 0
0
702
1,561
1,665
708
7,795
Lea ues
204
236
—
128
0
0
0 0
0
0
96
216
216
1,096
Lessons
804
5821
74
68
24
0 0
0
0
18
76
226
1,872
Total Tennis Court Hours
5,064
4,845
4,923
4,423
2,684
0 0
01
7021
4,9451
6,6351
4,883
38,004
The imperfections of this data in terms of accurately reflecting relative court use is grounded in the
fact the bottom line of pickleball court reservations is very likely (and potentially meaningfully) lower
than actual because, according to pickleball representatives on the TPWG, many individuals who
reserve courts for pickleball reserve and designate their reservation as tennis such that they are
granted use of 2 pickleball courts, creating opportunities for more pickleballers to play within that
reservation. This both under -represents pickleball in the above table and, to a degree, inflates tennis
reservation numbers. To get a more accurate accounting of reservation type moving forward,
Recreation staff are encouraged to think of new ways, through the PlayLocal app or otherwise, to
encourage pickleballers to accurately designate their reservation.
With all of that said, in analyzing the distinctions between tennis and pickleball reservations, this
writer encourages the reader to only consider topline reservations for tennis/facility (exclude school
use, leagues and lessons) since comparable uses for pickleball (leagues/lessons) do not yet exist on
our outdoor courts and consideration of relative use of each facility by sport. Per the PlayLocal data, a
facility -facility comparison of tennis to pickleball reservations for FY2022 is as follows:
10
July
Aug
Pickleball Court Permit Hours
Sept Oct Nov Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
FY2022
Apr
May
June
TOTAL
Pickleball Courts
Gallagher
0
OF -0 0 0 0
0
0
0
01
01
0
0
Clarke
19
30
48 30 7 0
0
0
0
111
115
47
407
Adams
8
7
10 10 11 0
0
0
0
20
691
19
144
Valley
0
2
8 5 6 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
21
Total Pickleball Court Hours
27
39
66 45 24 0
0
0
0
131
174
66
572
The imperfections of this data in terms of accurately reflecting relative court use is grounded in the
fact the bottom line of pickleball court reservations is very likely (and potentially meaningfully) lower
than actual because, according to pickleball representatives on the TPWG, many individuals who
reserve courts for pickleball reserve and designate their reservation as tennis such that they are
granted use of 2 pickleball courts, creating opportunities for more pickleballers to play within that
reservation. This both under -represents pickleball in the above table and, to a degree, inflates tennis
reservation numbers. To get a more accurate accounting of reservation type moving forward,
Recreation staff are encouraged to think of new ways, through the PlayLocal app or otherwise, to
encourage pickleballers to accurately designate their reservation.
With all of that said, in analyzing the distinctions between tennis and pickleball reservations, this
writer encourages the reader to only consider topline reservations for tennis/facility (exclude school
use, leagues and lessons) since comparable uses for pickleball (leagues/lessons) do not yet exist on
our outdoor courts and consideration of relative use of each facility by sport. Per the PlayLocal data, a
facility -facility comparison of tennis to pickleball reservations for FY2022 is as follows:
10
Facility
# Reserved Hours
% Reserved Hours
# Reserved Hours
% Reserved Hours
for Tennis
for Tennis
for PB
for PB
Gallagher
15,799
58%
0
0
10 tennis/4 PB
Clarke
4,432
16%
407
71%
2 tennis/ 6 PB
Adams
3,359
12%
144
25%
2 tennis/4 PB
Valley
3,651
13%
21
4%
2 tennis/4 PB
Total
27,241
99% of reserved
572
100% of PB
tennis court use
reservations
Again, data is skewed by the inaccuracies of how people report their reservation type. Nor does the
data capture "non -season" use of courts (November -March), drop-in/non-reserved use of courts for
tennis or pickleball, or the number of players per reservation. Typically, pickleball reservations
account for more players/reservation as pickleball reservations more typically include 4 or more
players (doubles is common with rotating in play) which is not typically true of tennis reservations.
Disparities across facilities (e.g. why Gallagher is seldom reserved for PB use) may have to do with
deviations from pickleball standards with respect to court dimensions and net height. Gallagher
"pickleball" courts make use of existing tennis nets at tennis height, making those courts less likely to
be reserved by more serious players. The perceived preference for Clarke over Valley and Adams may
be due to Recreation and Community Programs' decision to dedicate Court 3 at Clarke as pickleball
only courts beginning in 2022 and the availability of parking. Finally, another potential explanation for
the disparity between "popularity trends" for pickleball nationally vs. locally could be attributed to
the limited access to the "open play" format that is preferred by pickleball enthusiasts, which is
discussed further below.
C. Conflicting Needs/Concerns
As the above section hopefully communicates, Lexington is somewhat unique in its combination of
extreme interest in and demand for racquet -based sports and its ability to fully meet those needs.
Below we highlight some critical factors that have contributed to the challenges to creating additional
tennis and pickleball capacity in town.
Format of Play
Land and indoor space is limited in land -locked, densely populated Lexington. In the absence of a
land/space surplus and in accordance with the laws of economics, Lexington's Recreation and
Community Programs Department has relied on operating protocols to manage the allocation of
court time across its many racquet -sport stakeholders. These protocols rely heavily on reservations
and permitting agreements to create equity of access to these popular recreation assets.
A common point of discussion, and advocacy among pickleball representatives on the TPWG, was
how the preferred format for pickleball as a "drop-in" activity is not currently accounted for by
Recreation and Community Programs' current reservations management system for outdoor courts.
Per the Fairfax County Pickleball Study (pp.7-8):
11
"An important aspect of pickleball is its social and community-based style of play. Also referred to
as Drop -In play, a single or group of pickleball courts may draw as few as four — and in some cases
up to 40 players at a time, some actively playing on the courts, while others are gathered nearby
waiting for their turn. These sessions of drop-in play generally last between one and four hours.
The ability to support Drop -In play is a significant preference voiced by Fairfax County's pickleball
community.
In terms of overall activity, required support infrastructure, playing time, and potential for
conflicts with other sports, "Drop -In" pickleball resembles field-based sport more than it does
other court sports, as participants include both players and spectators using a facility over a
block of time. "
Consequently, Lexington residents who seek pickleball opportunities that are more consistent with
the drop-in format are having to travel outside of Lexington to play as the game is optimally intended.
TPWG members referenced driving to Natick, Bedford, Newton and Burlington on a daily/weekly
basis. Moreover, members shared that they are typically able to do so free of charge and without
booking reservations at those locations. Instead, facilities that accommodate drop-in play typically do
so according to 2 different formats, again, as summarized by the Fairfax County Report:
What Is Drop-in Play?
Where players "drop in" without advance reservation* to play
other drop -In players. Play follows a rotation system for those
players waiting for court space.
Example Formats:
* 2-3 hours reserved each morning, on all courts, for all
players.
• A 2 -hour block of time reserved on selected days, on
selected courts, for Drop -In players of specific skill levels.
* Courts may need to be reserved by a group orscheduled for drop-in ploy
during specific times the number of individual players attending a drop-in
event varies.
Information from Fairfax County Advocotes for Pickleball, July 2021.
Currently, and only recently, the only option for drop-in pickleball within Lexington is through Hayden
Recreation, which requires a $215/$300 annual membership fee to access pickleball programming (as
well as all other Hayden resources) for up to 9.5 hours/week. Pickleball representatives on the TPWG
advocated heavily for operational changes to outdoor court allocations and format of play for
Diamond -based indoor offerings, through the Recreation and Community Programs Department such
that drop-in play is made available through Town -owned courts and gyms throughout the year. In
response, pickleball members were encouraged to organize a "membership", in much the same way
that the Battle Green Tennis League did to negotiate permitting arrangements with Recreation staff.
It is recommended that the RC and Recreation staff provide some technical assistance to the pickleball
community, modeled on their collaborative efforts with other sports leagues, to operationalize the
drop-in/open-play format, ideally for the 2023/2024 Tennis and Pickleball seasons. Moreover, the
determination of the number of days/week and hours/day allocated specifically for pickleball use
across hard court assets should reflect the relative tennis/pickleball demand and court utilization
trend data for Lexington, as summarized within this document.
12
2. Environmental Impact
A key driver of the formation of the TPWG was concern raised by abutters of the Center Recreation
Complex (Gallagher Courts) regarding the noise impact of pickleball play at that location (along with
concerns related to the location and construction material of the practice boards). Parker Street
abutters of the Gallagher Courts voiced steady complaints over the past 18 months that the
combination of the sharp sound emitted when the plastic "whiffle" style ball hits the plastic racquets,
combined with the more rapid-fire nature of pickleball play (shorter distance between players, more
volley -style of play) significantly increases the ambient noise level at residences proximate to the
dual -lined courts at that site (courts #7-#10). Abutter concerns are consistent with a national debate
about the environmental impact of pickleball courts on residential and recreation areas. As
referenced in many, many news articles, web -based outlets, and formal and informal reports about
the unique quality of pickleball-generated noise, the repetitive impulsive sounds, of pickleball play
are considered more disruptive and discomforting than continuous sounds of other activities at
similar dBA levels.
In addition to the increased noise generated by the play itself, abutters to pickleball courts and
other users of multi -use recreation areas elsewhere complain about the added noise generated by
the drop-in format of pickleball which draws a larger number of players who congregate and
socialize while waiting to rotate into a game. A Google search of "pickleball noise" yields 3,150,000
results that range from articles about the divisiveness of pickleball in communities due to noise
complaints, legal guidance for abutters looking to challenge siting of new courts within their
communities and advertisements for noise mitigation services and solutions.
Abutters to the Gallagher Courts have made the case through various sound studies, multiple letters
of concern and a formal report submitted and presented to the RC at their May 16, 2022 meeting,
that the inclusion of pickleball (coupled with noise generated by other recreation activities and the
current practice board position and construction materials) generates dBAs that exceed what is
considered physically safe for human hearing over prolonged periods of time given the courts'
meaningful proximity to residences. Per a frequently referenced pickleball analysis authored by a Bob
Unetich and posted on pickleball-centric website called www.pickleballlady.com:
Residents in homes located in a quiet residential area, that are within 100 feet from
pickleball courts are used to noise levels of 40 dBAs, therefore the level of pickleball
noise is 30 decibels louder... each time you increase a sound level by 10 decibels, it
will sound twice as loud. So, an increase of 30 decibels is (10dB+10dB+10dB) or 2x
as loud x 2x as loud x 2x as loud, or 8 times as loud.
(https://crazvpicklebalIIady.com/2021/07/13/the-sound-of-pickleball-a-detailed-explanation-and-
what-you-need-toconsider-before-build ing-courts/)
Within this framework, Gallagher residential abutters concerns are validated in that four of the
complex's 10 courts are sited at or around 38 ft—well-below the 100 ft threshold referenced above.
Per the author of the oft -referenced Unetich pickleball sound report (Attachment 1), 70 dBAs is the
typical pickleball sound level at 100 ft from the courts. Therefore, at 38 ft, the noise level would be
78.4 dBAs. Noise analogies included on the Unetich Attachment suggest that dBAs at this level
approximate the acoustic burden of having freeway traffic running through one's backyard.
13
Calculations such as this can be easily evaluated through any number of web -based noise calculators,
including http://linuxfocus.orgl 'guidoliavascriot/decibel-calculator.html) and should be utilized in
any siting discussions about current and new pickleball courts/lines.
At 78.4 dBAs, the addition of pickleball at the Gallagher site adversely impacts the quality of life for
abutters, and by some interpretations, exceed the permissible level of noise set forth by Town and
State by-laws. In discussions about the environmental impact of pickleball at Gallagher courts, there
has been some debate as to the relevancy of by-law exceptions as pertains to recreation -generated
noise. One interpretation is that the inclusion of pickleball at Gallagher courts violates Town and
State noise by-laws by 28.4 dBAs. It will be critical for differences in noise by-law interpretation (e.g is
the regular access to a Recreation asset that generates excessive noise truly an exception) to be
resolved before any meaningful site selection of a permanent pickleball complex can be evaluated.
With respect to questions surrounding the future of pickleball at the Gallagher Complex, a reasonable
case can be made, based on available research on the topic, that the higher concentrations of sound
(estimated at 78.4 dBAs) generated by pickleball at that location adversely and disproportionately
affects the quality of life of the Gallagher abutters. While mitigation solutions exist (acoustic fencing,
inclusion of sound reducing vegetation, barrier walls), the technology is still new and, at the Gallagher
site -to -abutter line distances, there may be too great a burden on mitigation to be able to reliably
manage the addition of pickleball play, over and above the existing uses at the Center Complex
location (pool, soccer field, track and field activity, camps).
Specific recommendations related to acceptable noise impact of pickleball, as measured by decibels,
or dBAs, have been identified for the RC's and staff's consideration when evaluating the
appropriateness of existing, and the siting of future, pickleball locations. These recommendations are
outlined in a subsequent section of this report.
3. Gallagher Reconstruction Impact
A third key driver of the RC's decision to form the TPWG were concerns among Committee members
and staff about the impact of taking the Gallagher Tennis Courts offline for an extensive
reconstruction effort. The existing playing surface of these courts has exceeded its useful life,
requiring the facility to effectively be "gutted" and re -built. This project has been included on the
Recreation Department's 5 -year capital plan since 2018 and the funding request for the project was
approved at the spring 2022 Annual Town Meeting. Construction is scheduled to begin in late June of
2023. This project is estimated to take 4-5 months and will thereby meaningfully impact the number
of tennis and pickleball courts available for use during that period. The number of tennis courts will
be reduced from 17 to 7 and the number of pickleball courts will be reduced from 18 to 14. This
reduction will create significant strain on resources as Recreation staff work to balance the
community's desire for tennis court reservations, youth summer tennis lessons/clinics, league play
and pickleball with only 40% of capacity for court surfaces during the 2023 summer and fall seasons.
Moreover, given concerns about the noise impact of pickleball at the Gallagher Courts location, it is
unclear whether the Gallagher Courts will continue to be dual lined for pickleball if sufficient
mitigation cannot be guaranteed to achieve recommended dBAs at that site, thereby potentially
reducing existing pickleball inventory by 4 courts on a more permanent basis.
14
4. Recreation and Community Programs Budgeting
During TPWG meetings, members representing pickleball interests, specifically, highlighted the
availability of free dedicated blocks of court use for drop-in pickleball in other towns (Burlington,
Natick, Bedford, Newton). Understanding these towns' tennis/pickleball demand and budgeting
processes exceeded this scope of work. Instead, effort was made to educate working group members
on Lexington Recreation and Community Programs' reliance on "enterprise funds" to offset the costs
associated with the management and maintenance of Recreation assets. With almost no exception,
organized use of recreation assets (soccer/baseball/softball/lacrosse fields, swimming pool, Pine
Meadows golf course, all tennis courts) requires fees that are managed through memberships,
reservations and/or fee -generating permitting arrangements. Again, the pickleball community is
encouraged to organize its enthusiasts to advocate for use within these operating norms.
III. OPTIONS FOR INCREASING PICKLEBALL IN LEXINGTON
A. Short(er)-Term Options
A key charge of the TPWG was to generate recommendations to increase the Town's pickleball
capacity in both the near- and longer-term for both indoor and outdoor play. This section summarizes
the efforts of this brainstorming exercise.
1. Support creation of an independent pickleball league
When interest in a recreational activity exceeds the Recreation and Community Programs
Department's capacity to fully meet demand for that activity through its own operations, private
interests often organize to create leagues that work creatively and collaboratively to get their
field/court/space needs met. This model has been undertaken by nearly every sport in town,
ranging from soccer, baseball/softball, basketball, lacrosse, golf leagues, cricket, ultimate frisbee,
youth football, and tennis. Pickleball enthusiasts in town are encouraged to either partner with an
existing racquet -based league (such as the Battle Green Tennis League) or form an independent
pickleball league to facilitate advocacy for their sport and permitting agreements for court and
gym space that more closely meets the desired drop-in format. In turn, Recreation and
Community Programs staff are encouraged to provide technical support to the pickleball
community in the creation of such a league.
2. Support inclusion of drop-in pickleball format
It is recommended that Recreation staff work collaboratively with members of the pickleball
community to negotiate permitting agreements that allow for the inclusion of drop-in play within
the tennis court reservation schedule for the outdoor seasons, ideally for the 2023 season (and
beyond) if the limitations imposed by Gallagher reconstruction project allow, but for all future
seasons when the full complement of courts is back on-line. This format addresses the demand-
side of the pickleball equation as the drop-in format allows for a greater number of players than
the conventional reservation system currently allows.
For indoor play, the RC and staff are encouraged to consider converting all or some of the
Diamond Middle School-based pickleball programming from clinic -based with multi -week
registrations to a drop-in format with a session -by -session "cover charge". Such costs could be
folded into pickleball league membership fees (should such a league be created) to cover
15
expenses associated with gym reservations and recreation staff -associated administrative
overhead.
3. Alternatively, consider incorporating dedicated use designations for non -reserved times
One way to minimize potential conflict between tennis and pickleball users is to designate specific
times/days for pickleball or tennis use only on a first -come -first -serve basis at shared use courts
as the Recreation and Community Programs budget allows. For example, designating Tuesdays
and Thursdays, 9-12 (and some block of weekend time) at Adams or Valley for pickleball only
drop-in use and Monday -Wednesday -Friday as tennis only for that same window of time (and
some block of weekend time). Designated times could be posted on signage at selected courts
and made available online for reference.
4. Take advantage of under-utilized private indoor recreation space
In the search for increased indoor capacity for pickleball, Grace Chapel's gym was identified as an
untapped resource for weekday drop-in play, with considerable availability before 3:00pm
Monday -Friday. Should pickleball enthusiasts move forward with joining an existing league or
forming their own dedicated pickleball league, they are encouraged to work with Grace Chapel to
negotiate rental fees that could be absorbed by membership fees of a pickleball (or joint
pickleball/tennis) league. Such agreements are consistent with the experiences of other athletic
leagues (e.g. youth basketball leagues, Lexington United Soccer Club) who rent gyms in other
communities (e.g. Waltham) or town -based entities (e.g. Waldorf School, Lexington Christian
Academy). In those instances, rental expenses are passed on to their users through registration
fees.
5. Continue expanded winter offerings at Diamond Middle School beyond 2022/2023 season
Through creative scheduling, Recreation staff were able to double the number of winter sessions
for pickleball at Diamond Middle School, which can accommodate 3 pickleball courts. Recreation
staff are encouraged to perpetuate those time allocations to pickleball and to consider
incorporating drop-in play during those windows of time as encouraged above.
6. Consider re -lining existing tennis courts to accommodate additional pickleball courts
Where dual -lining existing tennis courts with pickleball striping has been the first line initiative for
adding pickleball capacity nationally, several configurations have been put into practice and are
included graphically below.
O � t °�' �l,i• fi
2 oil
e a
16
For its part, Lexington has relied on the 1 on 1 configuration (green diagram above) at Gallagher
and the 2 on 1 configuration (diagram #1 on yellow image above) at the Clarke, Adams and Valley
Courts. As referenced above, the 1 on 1 configuration is unpopular with pickleball players due to
its reliance on using existing tennis nets, which are higher than regulation pickleball nets. One
possibility raised for increasing pickleball capacity by TPWG members was to consider re -lining
the courts at all, or at least some, of the non -Gallagher Courts to be consistent with Diagrams 2 or
3 above which would add a significant number of pickleball courts and further facilitate drop-in
play at appropriate locations (those not too close to homes/residences). Restriping from 4-6
courts at Adams or Valley adds 50% more courts at those location at a relatively low price point.
Outreach to the Town's recreation planning and facility consultants, Activitas, yielded the
following estimate for undertaking such an effort.
It is estimated that to repaint the court surface would cost $500-$800/pickleball court or
approximately $6,000 to reline Adams or Valley courts (with some contingency). The work
would need to happen in early May at the earliest as temperatures need to be a consistent 40
degrees and rising consistently for paint curing purposes. This expense does not include any
additional costs incurred by the need to install noise mitigation demands.
When considering this option, it is important that stakeholders be mindful that as the
concentration of pickleball play at a location increases, so too does the noise level. Therefore,
professional acoustical testing for baseline ambient noise should be undertaken to account for
potential increases as well as the sound mitigation such an increase might necessitate. The same
is true for added demand on the available parking at a court location that is increasing the
concentration of players by adding additional courts and/or incorporating drop-in play to the
schedule.
7. Create "temporary" pickleball courts in underutilized hard -top surfaces such as school parking
lots
In the spirit of "out-of-the-box" thinking with increased demand for pickleball in town and
compressed supply of all courts when the Gallagher Courts go offline this summer in mind, one
option that was floated during the TPWG meetings was to create temporary pickleball courts on
existing hard -top surfaces (parking lots, underutilized basketball court surfaces in neighborhood
parks, etc). Two strategies for potentially converting underutilized school parking lots, specifically,
during the summer months were explored. One was to paint two pickleball courts over existing
parking lot spaces which could then be cordoned off through temporary fencing. However,
Department of Public Facilities and Department of Public Works officials indicated an
unwillingness to "permanently" alter Town parking lots in this manner.
A second, more temporary, option was explored which would involve the purchase of interlocking
mats that can be configured to meet the necessary space specifications of up to two pickleball
courts. These mats are fabricated with athletic use in mind, can be temporarily laid down and
then picked up and stored when not in use. A number of manufacturers have created such
surfaces with pickleball in mind, including SnapSports (www.snapsports.com), and MateFlex
(www.Mateflex.com). An image of what these surfaces look like is included below:
17
To further inform this option, Peter Coleman reached out to MateFlex and SnapSports for a cost
estimate of purchasing/shipping 2 pickleball courts worth of materials. Estimates (included as
Attachments 2 and 3) ranged from $18,635-$22,000 and do not include temporary fencing costs.
While a meaningful expense, such an investment could potentially alleviate some short-term
pressure on courts during the Gallagher reconstruction while also expanding "pickleball only"
court inventory in both the near and longer-term. To create such a "complex" (2 adjacent courts)
would require 60'x120' of space and willingness on the Facilities side to commit parking lot space
in one of the municipal or school locations. Preliminary outreach suggests some willingness on
their and the Superintendent's part, to entertain such a request. Other considerations for this
option include off-season storage of the materials (which can be broken down into standard -sized
"pallets") and labor required for seasonal set up and break down each year.
8. Explore options for indoor pickleball locations through underutilized school/private facilities
during the Gallagher Courts reconstruction project (and possibly future summer seasons if
successful)
As highlighted above, an attractive benefit of pickleball is that it is truly a year-round sport in that
its space requirements and game set up can easily be adapted to indoor gymnasiums and
multipurpose spaces. Consequently, one possibility for alleviated demand on outdoor courts in
the summer is to create indoor pickleball opportunities in LPS gymnasiums. This was NOT a
preferred option among pickleball representatives on the TPWG, who clearly stated a preference
for outdoor play during the warmer weather, but the option is included here given its potential to
alleviate some of the pressure on the Town's courts this summer. Beyond indoor town/school
facilities, Recreation and Community Programs staff are encouraged to reach out to the Lexington
Tennis Club (formerly the Boston Sports Club located on Bedford Street) to assess the possibility of
partnership to offset the loss of tennis and pickleball court availability during the 2023 summer
season.
9. Bring existing pickleball inventory up to more typical operating standards elsewhere, which
include the following considerations:
Court Color Schemes: Where dual -lining courts exist, convert the color scheme to the color
scheme recommended by USTA, which states: "all blended playing lines shall be textured line
paint within the same family color as the 78 -foot court playing surface." Since Lexington's tennis
courts are green, having light green or yellow pickleball lines would be most appropriate but
M
ultimately, a key concern among TPWG members is that the contrast be mindful of vision
impairment considerations.
Provide portable (wheeled) pickleball nets at all dual -use locations: Recreation investment of
portable nets like the one pictured below reduces the need for players to bring and set up their
own nets, which enables them to maximize their reservation time and reduces a notable barrier
to entry for beginners. Portable nets can be inconspicuously pushed against and secured to
fencing when not in use. Staff recently purchased 10 such nets that will be distributed across the
non -Gallagher locations.
10. Promote the use of sound reducing equipment (paddles and balls) with users
Recreation staff are encouraged to include recommendations for noise -reducing equipment on
their pickleball-related webpages and hardcopy brochures, as well as encouraged to work with
any future leagues to promote the same as popularity of pickleball in Lexington increases (see
Attachment 3 for one list of recommended noise reducing paddles).
B. Long(er)-Term Strategies
Compared to prior sections of this report, this section is brief: the RC is encouraged to plan
for/prioritize construction of pickleball-only courts within the Recreation and Community Programs
master and capital planning initiatives. As succinctly written in the Fairfax Pickleball study:
"Using the pork master planning process as a vehicle, pickleball should be considered
on an individual park basis, particularly in areas of the County that lack existing
dedicated courts or feasible opportunities to leverage the Park Authority's unbuilt
court capacity. Although a master plan revision may not be required to introduce
pickleball at a park, it may be appropriate to engage the community and solicit
public feedback prior to construction (p.32)."
As land use discussions continue across the Town's many boards and committees, the RC and staff
are encouraged to advocate for the inclusion of additional hard -court surfaces at all future recreation
and school construction projects. This advocacy should include not only outdoor spaces, but indoor
spaces as well (e.g. ensuring adequate space(s) within the yet -to -be -designed high school
reconstruction project and future elementary school rebuilds).
To support these efforts, and as requested in the charge of the TPWG, a set of site suitability criteria
for existing and future racquet -court locations were generated and are included below. These
19
criteria, along with the criteria put forward by the Fairfax Pickleball Study (included as Attachment 7)
"should be used to evaluate [the Town's] existing court inventory for pickleball suitability, as well as
planned courts that have not yet been constructed" (p. 32).
IV. SITE SELECTION CRITERIA
Efforts to generate preliminary site -selection criteria for future pickleball court construction included
research into site selection criteria generated during comparable planning efforts in other
municipalities (e.g. Fairfax County, Seattle, Oswego), and a brainstorming exercise among TPWG
members present at the December 6th meeting. This list was further refined by the 4 members
present at the January 17th meeting of the TPWG. Between January 17th and January 29th, working
group participants were given an opportunity to weight the generated list of selection criteria in
person and digitally according to their personal sense of priority. The result of these efforts is
summarized in the following table.
Criteria
# of Votes
Noise level at abutter line near sited court is to be less than or equal to 65dBa's
10
Allows for open play format
g
Allows for a minimum of 4-6 dedicated pickleball courts
6
Timing of development ("the sooner the better")
5
Access to site amenities (toilets, benches, water fountains, shade)
2
Location
2
Does not conflict with/displace other recreation activities
1
Availability of parking
1
Court orientation relative to sun
1
Equitable driving time within town
1
Key takeaways from this exercise are that noise matters as does a commitment to honoring key
distinctions between how tennis and pickleball are played and how those differences impact future
site development.
Regarding the noise -specific criteria of limiting the environmental impact of pickleball to a "not -to -
exceed level of 65 dBAs", the working group directs the RC and staff to the extensive studies that
have been generated regarding strategies for achieving this threshold through distance and
mitigation efforts (acoustic materials added on-site, vegetation, sound barriers such as walls, etc.). In
brief, however, to achieve the 65clBAs or lower threshold without mitigation, pickleball courts should
be 200' or greater from abutters. The recommended threshold of 65 dBAs or lower at shorter
distances to abutter lines can be achieved through mitigation but multiple studies/reports
recommend that no pickleball courts, even with mitigation, should be cited within 100' of
residences. As referenced in the Environmental Impact section, this criterion calls to question
whether the Gallagher Courts are suitable for re -lining of pickleball courts. Even if some of the courts
along that complex meet or exceed the > 100' foot threshold, meaningful mitigation will still likely be
needed to achieve the 65 dBA given the already higher ambient noise levels at that location due to
other park uses. Lessons from other communities reinforce that location matters as it pertains to
community buy -in and support of pickleball facilities because the impact of noise generated by
pickleball matters.
20
Regarding future dedicated pickleball court construction, TPWG members were adamant that such a
facility should be able to accommodate a minimum of 4 courts, with a significant preference for 6
courts to facilitate drop-in play more fully. Such a configuration requires a minimum of .3 to .5 acres
(which also allows for 4.5 parking spaces/court). Regarding parking, TPWG members were willing to
limit parking requirements to those that meet ADA accessibility requirements. Also of note was that
lighting on site was not prioritized by PB enthusiasts in the group, nor were other significant on-site
amenities.
While the above set of criteria offer a snapshot of how a relatively small number of Lexington
residents prioritize site selection criteria, the RC and staff are encouraged to also seriously take into
consideration the more thoroughly vetted criteria set forth through the Fairfax County Pickleball
Study (Attachment 5).
Lastly, a set of "Design Specifications" from the Fairfax study have been included here as Attachment
6 for consideration once future court construction projects are approved. These include
considerations related to permanent versus portable nets, fencing considerations, court surfacing and
striping, lighting and site-based amenities. The Fairfax study's list of maintenance and operational
considerations are also included as Attachment 7 for RC and staff consideration.
V. PRELIMINARY SITE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEDICATED PICKLEBALL COURT
CONSTRUCTION
Another request of the TPWG was to generate a list of potential sites for future dedicated pickleball
court construction. In addition to the short-term recommendations related to "re -purposing" under-
utilized parking lots during summer months, members of TPWG put forward the following sites, from
among existing Recreation assets, for consideration of the RC for future court development,
according to recommended site selection criteria.
In ranked order of preference:
Munroe Recreation area (open space located behind the building that currently houses the Munroe
Center for the Arts
Baskin = https://goo.gl/maps/YNc9gRLgbY23v9JUA
Justin park = https://goo.gl/maps/A2SRSdw7xR9RJNie6
Kineens = https://goo.gl/maps/w78W9ewy3'Cuph2G6
Marvin = ht_tps://goo.gl/maps/MrCf7tDg2WXhADL86
Rindge = https://goo.gl/maps/C45MxkikYCfXm8M2A
Sutherland = https://goo.gl/maps/b54Nksal(DosTnQiz6
Valley Road = https://goo.gl/maps/utcAkgPgv9Z7cgrE8
Valleyfield = https://goo.gl/maps/DzLfz34vMZ8C9YAi8
Deemed less preferable, but also potential options:
Garfield = https://goo.gl/maps/otvuFsCk7V78mweV8
Franklin = https://goo.gl/maps/BbvgrYxEmZNAF3Vv9
Muzzey = https://goo.gl/maps/12JahkiHW4gZFEsU8
21
In addition to these recommended sites for court construction consideration, the TPWG became
aware of the existence of a "vacant lot" inventory that was shared with the Select Board within the
last six months. Recreation is encouraged to access that document and explore the suitability of those
lots against site selection criteria and enter into land acquisition/swap agreements as appropriate.
TPWG representatives were not sure where that list resides within the Town's meeting archives.
Lastly, as discussions continue about the possible redevelopment of land currently taken up by the
old Harrington/current School Administration Building for recreation purposes, Recreation is
encouraged to assess the feasibility of and advocate for dedicated pickleball and/or shared use courts
at that location. Similarly, as conversations continue related to the field and recreation master
planning efforts, the RC is encouraged to emphasize the demand for additional racquet -based assets
with Activitas and related space planning consultants.
VI. CONCLUSION
Who knew the efforts of the TPWG would result in a report that is over 20 pages long?! The fact that
it does speaks to the complexity that the advent of pickleball as an increasingly popular sport is
creating for communities nationwide. The hope is that this document offers a wide variety of
considerations, strategies and recommendations for responsibly incorporating more pickleball among
Lexington's recreation offerings. As highlighted in the Fairfax study, these findings and
recommendations will need to be amended as the popularity of tennis and pickleball shift over time,
but hopefully they provide an adequate framework from which near-term operational changes and
future construction projects can be determined. As is always the case with any meaningful addition or
amendment to Recreation assets, ongoing engagement with court users, facility abutters and other
key stakeholders should be thoughtfully and proactively pursued.
A note on content attributions: clearly, the author of this report relied heavily on the "Pickleball in
Fairfax County" report undertaken by the Fairfax County Park Authority. Wherever possible,
appropriate citations were noted, though admittedly, some attributions may have "slipped through
the cracks." The entire Fairfax report has been saved in the Google Drive folder that was designated
by Recreation staff of this effort and this writer hopes that those who read this report forgive any
attributional oversights.
Respectfully submitted,
Claire Sheth, RC Member and liaison to the Tennis and Pickleball Working Group
22
'Mateflex®
90 1 Broad Street Utica, NY 13501
Phone: 800.926.3539 ext 244 315.733.1412
Fax: 315.735.4372
Email: jangrisano@mateflex.com
Web: www.mateflex.com
Name: Lexington Recreation Et Community Programs
Attn: Peter Coleman
Address: 39 Marrett Rd.
City Lexington State MA Zip 02421
Phone: 781-389-8684
Email: 17colemanKexingtonma . c ov
Date:
2/22/23
Rep:
Jake Angrisano
Customer #:
PLINES Any
Courts:
2
Width:
30
Length:
60
Total Sq.Ft.:
3600
Project Description: Customer Class:
Quantity Style I Color Description, Price I Total
Materials
3,600 3600 Any TopCourt Retail Price $5.15 $18,540.00
3,600 Volume Discount ($0.75) ($2,700.00)
3,600 3600 Any TopCourt Net Price ! $4.40 $15,840.00
PAYMENTS WITH CREDIT CARD SUBJECT TO
ADDITIONAL 3% FEE
Material Total
Ship To: Same as Above Shipping
Notes: -Current Pricing Set To Include Sub Total
Pre Painted Game Lines Additional Services
-LiftgateDeliver7Available Upon NYS Sales Tax
Request TOTAL
Office Use Only
Carrier: Pitt Ohio
PRICES GOOD FOR 30 DAYS Special Instructions: Commercial
All Basework is customers responsibility Quote #
*All shipments FOB Utica, N.Y., unless specified Ship Date:
*Additional Charges may apply if Lift Gate is required
Delivery: 4-8 weeks ARO 10% Deposit $1,863.56
Terms: Prices based on standard terms 10% deposit/90% pre-release 90% Pre -Release $16,772.04
INTEREST OF 1-1/2% PER MONTH WILL BE CHARGED ON PAST DUE ACCOUNTS Total $18,635.60
Disposal of Trash and Debris is customers responsibility
Power must be available onsite.
Customers responsibility to secure the jobsite
By: Accepted by:
Jake Angrisano
Sales Representative
Date:
Additional Materials and Services
2
PLINES Any
Pickleball Game Lines (Paint Et Materials)
$325.00 $650.00
376
4501 Any
8 Lock Edge Pieces (Male/Female)
$2.60 $977.60
*AND*
2
LABOR
Pre -Painted Game Line Services (Labor)
350.00 700.00
i
Option Total: $2,327.60
PAYMENTS WITH CREDIT CARD SUBJECT TO
ADDITIONAL 3% FEE
Material Total
Ship To: Same as Above Shipping
Notes: -Current Pricing Set To Include Sub Total
Pre Painted Game Lines Additional Services
-LiftgateDeliver7Available Upon NYS Sales Tax
Request TOTAL
Office Use Only
Carrier: Pitt Ohio
PRICES GOOD FOR 30 DAYS Special Instructions: Commercial
All Basework is customers responsibility Quote #
*All shipments FOB Utica, N.Y., unless specified Ship Date:
*Additional Charges may apply if Lift Gate is required
Delivery: 4-8 weeks ARO 10% Deposit $1,863.56
Terms: Prices based on standard terms 10% deposit/90% pre-release 90% Pre -Release $16,772.04
INTEREST OF 1-1/2% PER MONTH WILL BE CHARGED ON PAST DUE ACCOUNTS Total $18,635.60
Disposal of Trash and Debris is customers responsibility
Power must be available onsite.
Customers responsibility to secure the jobsite
By: Accepted by:
Jake Angrisano
Sales Representative
Date:
ATTACHMENT 2
Hey Peter,
30x60 is the most popular size we do for the pickleball courts. The surface is $5.50/sqft,
so you end up around $11 k (taxes/shipping included) per court. For the two courts you'd
be looking around $22k.
The tiles come shipped on a 4x4 pallet and in this case you'd have three. So you'd need
space to store the three 4x4 pallets.
Current lead times are about 4-6 weeks and we'd just need 50% down to get things
going.
Let me know if you have any other questions or if it's something you want to move
forward with.
Thanks,
Daimon .Alexander
Regional Sales Manager
Toll Free: 1-800-664-3865
Direct: +1-801-746-7551
Fax: 1-801-746-7559
www.snapsports.com
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entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please delete the material from your computer and
contact the sender.
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SnapSports 02023
The Current List of Recommended
Paddles January 6, 2023
Paddle Vendor
Joola
CRBN
Diadem
Diadem
Franklin
E6
Pro Kennex
Pro Kennex
Paddle Name
Radius
1
Vice
Warrior
Pro Series 16 mm
16s
Pro Speed
Ovation
Paddle Vendor
Gearbox
Gearbox
Paddle Name
GX5
CX11
Gearbox
CX14
Selkirk
Vanguard Invikta
v
Selkirk
Amped Epic
Versix
Pro XL 6C
Vulcan
720
Master Athletics The Quiet
PSM LLC
4115/22,11:36 AM The sound of pickleball — a detailed explanation, and what you need to consider before building courts — Crazy Pickleball Lady
Crazy Pickleball Lady_
- FOLLOW Crazy Pickleball Lady! Enter your email address, and get a notification when I've made a
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The sound of pickleball — a detailed explanation,
and what you need to consider before
building courts
July 13, 2021 Betsy_
After my last post "Respecting oitr neighbors — creating a quieter pickleball environment," I received some
feedback from readers seeking more information on how to deal with sound issues at their outdoor
pickleball courts.
I have asked my friend, Bob Unetich to write a contributing article on the sound of pickleball; how to
measure it, and how to reduce it in order to keep happy neighbors or select a location for new courts.
Many of you will recognize Bob as a USA Pickleball (https: usapickleball.org[). certified referee, or from
his colunuz in Pickleball Magazine (https://www.Dickleballmagazine.com ). called "Rules Guru". He is
also a USA Pickleball Ambassador At Large, a professional registered engineer and hosts the Facebook
page called "Pickleball Noise (Mitigation)_(https://www.facebook.com groups/145879006219534)," where
you will find a lot of interesting information on pickleball sound.
This post will explain the mechanics of sound, and how it relates to the human ear, and will be detailed
in parts.
Bob can be reached at itsrmu@aol.com (mailto:itsrmu@aol.com), to answer any of your questions
A lesson in measuring sound
Sound can be characterized in several ways, but the three terms we should use when describing
pickleball sounds are "pitch" and "loudness" which is also known as "sound level". The reality is that
most sounds are combinations of multiple pitches and sound levels.
You probably have heard of music notes such as "middle C". When you turie a piano key to middle C, it
has the pitch of middle C, plus components of higher pitch sounds. Pitch is quite different from loudness
or sound level. A faint middle C and a very loud middle C are both of similar pitch, but of different
sound levels.
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4/15/22, 11:36 AM The sound of pickleball — a detailed explanation, and what you need to consider before building courts — Crazy Pickleball Lady
Pickleball sounds heard outside the courts are mostly the result of a ball hitting a paddle. The pitch we
hear varies with the ball model and the paddle model. This is independent of loudness, so having an
agreed upon way of measuring loudness is helpful.
To make this measurement, we need an agreed upon a reference sound level and a set of units of
measurement. An accepted unit of sound pressure is the pascal, but human hearing is quite sensitive, so
we need to measure some pressure changes that are 1 million times weaker, or a micro -pascal, which has
been selected as the normal reference for sound level measurements.
In addition to our hearing being sensitive, we also have an amazing ability to hear and make sense of
both very low levels, all the way up to very high levels, without incurring damage to our hearing.
Dealing with this wide range of pressures requires cumbersome arithmetic, so it is common to compare
one level to another by using a base 10 logarithmic scale. Don't worry about forgetting high school math,
since we can just use the defined terms to easily compare any two sound levels, even if they are millions
of times apart in level.
The term we will use is the decibel. The selected reference for sound measurements is 1 micro -pascal
which we set to equal zero decibels, or 0 dB as commonly written. Humans perceive an increase of 10
decibels in sound level to be roughly 2x as loud. This is quite helpful since we can then simply use a
meter calibrated in decibels to take measurements, and then easily estimate how the sound levels will be
perceived.
You can read more about this in Wikipedia at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound level meter
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound level meter).
As it relates to pickleball
The noise problem pickleball causes is due to the fact that humans are more annoyed by higher pitch
sounds in general. A beeping sound is more annoying than a rumble sound, even if those two sounds
are of the same level. Tennis and some other common sports produce sounds that are usually lower
pitch than in pickleball, therefore less annoying.
One aspect of this reality is that paddles that vibrate a little slower will produce a sound that is
somewhat less annoying to the neighbors. This is usually the case for thicker paddles. As paddle
teclulology evolves, we may see more paddles become available with lower pitch sound production, and
these sounds should be less annoying.
So, what does this all mean to us as pickleball enthusiasts? The quietest sounds some people can hear
(with excellent hearing), are about 20 decibels above the reference level of OdB. A problem with that
simplification is that human hearing sensitivity varies with pitch, so the threshold of hearing also varies.
An agreed upon adjustment to this measurement method is to use a weighted sensitivity called the A
curve. Sound meters usually have a reading capability of decibels adjusted for the A curve. This adjusted
unit of measurement level is referred to as dBA or often as dBa.
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4/15/22, 11:36 AM The sound of pickleball — a detailed explanation, and what you need to consider before building courts — Crazy Pickleball Lady
Now we are ready to use the numbers for comparison purposes. Here are some points of reference from
the website, https://noiseawamess.org_(https://noiseawamess.org):
0 dBA — The softest sound a person can hear with normal hearing
10 dBA — normal breathing
20 dBA — whispering at 5 feet
30 dBA — soft whisper
40 dBA — quiet residential area on a calm day
50 dBA — steady rainfall
60 dBA — normal conversation
70 dBA — freeway traffic
85 dBA — noisy restaurant
90 dBA — shouted conversation
100 dBA — nearby snowmobile
110 dBA — shouting into an ear
120 dBA — nearby thunder
As you know, at some level our hearing can be damaged. It is recommended that we avoid extended
periods of exposure to levels above 80 dBa. Above 90 dBa is considered dangerous according to the
Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) standards. Loud music fans beware!
Frequent pickleball sounds are typically about 70 dBa at about 100 feet away from the strike of the ball.
Residents in homes located in a quiet residential area, that are within 100 feet from pickleball courts are
used to noise levels of 40 dBa, therefore the level of pickleball noise is 30 decibels louder. And,
remember, each time you increase a sound level by 10 decibels, it will sound twice as loud. So, an
increase of 30 decibels is (10dB+10dB+10dB) or 2x as loud x 2x as loud x 2x as loud, or 8 times as loud.
That's a significant increase in loudness. Would that be annoying? Probably.
Making sound level measurements requires calibrated accurate equipment. Do not rely upon sound
level apps downloaded to your phone, except for simple relative readings. A good sound level meter,
like the Sper840015, costs about $500 with calibration and it needs to have its calibration checked yearly
or so.
So, what can you do?
What can be done to reduce complaints? First of all, courts that are expected to get lots of use should not
be located close to homes! When we increase the distance to homes, things get better. Doubling the
distance drops sound levels by 6 decibels in open areas and even more when there are obstructions to
sound propagation, like hills and shrubs. Barriers can help as well. A 10 ft high wall can provide about
10 decibels of reduction, cutting the perceived sound level in half. Higher barriers help even more.
Using the quietest balls and paddles available can cut the sound as much as 10 more decibels or in half
again, but many players will resist using other gear. Restricting play hours can also help reduce
complaints.
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4/15/22, 11:36 AM The sound of pickleball — a detailed explanation, and what you need to consider before building courts — Crazy Pickleball Lady
Barriers can be absorbing or reflecting. Sound reflecting barriers, like that known as Acoustifence, are
less expensive, but they will send pickleball sound back towards the courts or perhaps towards other
homes. Absorbing barriers, like the sound blankets made by eNoise Control, are thicker, heavier and
more expensive but they may be the best choice in some cases.
The reality is that most residential neighborhoods have background sound levels, known as ambient
noise, dose to 50 dBa. If all homes are 200 or more feet away from courts, the expected sound level will
be about 64 dBa. If a sound barrier and quieter balls and paddles are used, we soon approach the typical
sound level of average neighborhoods, under 50 dBa. To do more is difficult since sound will travel over
a sound barrier. The solution to that problem might be a roof, basically making the courts an indoor
facility and adding greatly to the cost, and an unrealistic option.
Determining what sound level is acceptable is not simple. Local ordinances can be consulted and
sometimes this will set the specific sound level limits that apply, but other times an ordinance will
simply state that any repetitive sound must not be "annoying", and becomes a difficult goal to achieve.
Sound level predictions and neighbor tolerance predictions must be part of designing a pickleball
facility.
Summary:
Pickleball sound levels within 100 feet of courts will usually be around 70 dBa with no sound reduction
efforts applied. This is as loud as freeway traffic sound.
At 200 feet, (using the 6 dB drop for doubling the distance) the level will be about 64 dBa. That's louder
than normal conversation.
At 400 feet it will be about 58 dBa. That's quieter than normal conversation levels. By limiting use of
paddles and ball brands based on sound testing, you can achieve below 50 dBa, and usually below local
background level at that distance.
Adding a 10 ft. high barrier can drop that to below 40 dBa, a level below normal library sound levels.
Even at 100 feet, with consideration for equipment and sound barriers, the level could be about 52 dBa,
and may be an acceptable sound level in many neighborhoods. This means that barriers and distance are
the most effective tools. It also means that sound levels can be predicted in advance of having
complaints, so consider your location and work with your pickleball community to make the sport a
welcome addition to your neighborhood.
I hope the above will be helpful to those of you with current or potential sound problems. I am available
to help with making sound levels estimates so send me an email if you have questions and I invite you
to join the Facebook group Pickleball Noise (Mitigation) for much more pickleball sound information.
Bob Unetich,
Facebook Pickleball Sound Mitigation Group Admin
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4/15/22, 11:36 AM The sound of pickleball — a detailed explanation, and what you need to consider before building courts — Crazy Pickleball Lady
USA P Ambassador-at-large
USA P Certified Referee
A Registered Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania
Contact Bob at itsrmu@aol.com
Published by Betsy
View all posts byBetsy-
. - . ��► �'
�Craxy
.,� Pickleball
Lady
6 thoughts on "The sound of pickleball — a detailed
explanation, and what you need to consider before
building courts"
NANCY says:
March 21, 2022 at 2:51 pm
I enjoy the article on Bdh level for outdoor. But what is it for indoor on converted Tennis courts?
1. Reply
BETSY says:
March 21, 2022 at 5:41 pm
Nancy, you should ask Bob that question. Find his email at the bottom of the post!
2. Reply
GARY COLE says:
February 7, 2022 at 11:18 pm
I live in Wilmette, Illinois. Our Park Districi is planning to add eight pickle ball courts to our small
park and children's playground. There are already six lighted paddle ball courts. The new pickle
courts will come as close as 45 feet of some residences and be lighted for night play until 11 pm. The
neighborhood is very opposed to the plan. It kills green space. It requires moving a playground
which would be located between the new courts and an astroturf athletic field. The courts would also
be in close proximity to a large community garden. The park district has applied for a land use
variance with the local zoning board. The neighborhood has formed a group to oppose the variance.
Mr. Uneticli s highlights the seriousness of our problem. We need some expert testimony to put
before the zoning which will review the application on March 16th. We have nothing against
pickleball but not in our quiet neighborhood from 7 am until 11pm. Can you suggest someone in the
Chicago area who might be willing to make an in person statement at the meeting or is there
someone who could write a letter outlining the problems with building courts in a small park area,
lighted at night and so close to houses. Property values are going to be hurt. The lights and noise will
be a constant issue Parton the warmer months. Please offer help or advice if possible.
https://crazypickleballlady.com/2021/07/13/the-sound-of-pickleball-a-detailed-explanation-and -what-you-need-to-consider-before-building-courts/ 5/6
4/15/22, 11:36 AM The sound of pickleball — a detailed explanation, and what you need to consider before building courts — Crazy Pickleball Lady
1. Reply —
BETSY says:
February 8, 2022 at 8:59 am
Gary, I am not an expert by any means on this topic, thus having a guest writer for that post,
therefore I would not be able to speak to it. I would guess you would need to seek a sound
engineer of some sort to investigate your exact situation. Good luck with your situation. Thanks
for reading Crazy Pickleball Lady!
3. -Reply =±
SANDY DUBE'MESSERICH says:
January 23, 2022 at 9:53 pm
thank -you so what brand of paddle is the quitest and ball?
Reply
BETSY says:
january 24, 2022 at 7:39 am
Sorry to say that I am not in a position to know specifically what brands are the quietest. Bob (the
guest writer of this post) might be able to give you some suggestions based on his research. Email
him at itsrmu@aol.com.
,Reply
WEBSITE POWERED BY WORDPRESS.COM.
https://crazypickleballiady.com/2O2l/O7/l3/the-sound-of-pickleball-a-detailed-explanation-and-what-you-need-to-consider-before-building-courts/ 6/6
ATTACHMENT 5
Site Selection Criteria
Industry research and user preferences determined through the online survey led to the following
recommended criteria for suitable pickleball court locations.
Geography and Access Considerations
The pickleball survey indicated that over 50 percent of survey respondents are willing to drive up to 20
minutes to play pickleball. Future pickleball court planning should consider (a) the distance from existing
pickleball courts, and (b) areas of the County that have fewer existing courts and/or higher population
densities should be prioritized. In particular, the northern and western reaches of the County have
fewer pickleball courts as shown on the Existing Pickleball Facilities Map (Figure 9). Building additional
courts in these areas of the County will reduce the drive time required to access a court countywide.
Tennis Use and Court Demand
A key finding of this study is that the potential for conflict between sport courts exists when providing
shared -use courts or repurposing courts to sports for which they were not initially constructed, such as
tennis or basketball. In the study's stakeholder outreach and public survey, court users were generally
supportive of multi -sport courts, yet expressed concern over the impact sharing facilities can have on
the quality of play. Prior to the introduction of pickleball at a court, or prior to the removal of non-
pickleball play at a court, decision makers should evaluate a facility's current utilization, area service
levels, and potential reasons for under -utilization such as demand, location, access, or maintenance. It is
inappropriate to change the use of a court if such a change would result in a significant reduction of
adopted service levels or conflicts between sports that cannot be minimized or mitigated.
Layout/Spatial Considerations
Of survey respondents, 11 percent play singles (two players), and 55 percent play doubles (four players).
Additionally, 35 percent of players are part of an organized group. Out of the respondents that play as
part of an organized group, 72 percent indicated that they typically play with 16 or fewer players when
playing. Thus, when planning for courts, providing courts in groups of four will accommodate most
players. As recommended in this report's design specifications, a grouping of four pickleball courts
accommodates 16 players at a time (four players per court). Accordingly, many larger groups of players
could be accommodated through groupings of four to six pickleball-only courts, or a group of three or
four tennis courts in a shared -use configuration with pickleball (of two pickleball courts per tennis
court).
Most Park Authority tennis courts are provided in groups of one or two; groupings of three or more
courts are generally limited to select Countywide parks such as Wakefield, Nottoway, Jefferson and Lee
District Parks. This is due in part to how the Park Authority's court system has evolved to meet the
demand for tennis, basketball, and other court sports; many courts that now include pickleball were
originally planned and constructed to serve smaller groups of players in local, neighborhood -serving
parks, in groupings of one or two tennis courts. Smaller groups of players can be accommodated on one
or two tennis courts, provided the park has the necessary conditions to support shared use of the
courts. These conditions are detailed in the recommended pickleball site selection criteria.
Availability of Parking
As indicated in the survey, the majority of pickleball players drive to the courts. Each pickleball court
supports up to four players in a game and parking should be sufficient for one space per pickleball
player. For parks that have two pickleball courts this equates to a minimum of eight spaces, with the
amount increasing with the number of courts.9
When planning for future pickleball court locations, parking demands of adjacent facilities, such as
athletic fields, should be considered. It should be noted that conversion of tennis courts to shared -use
pickleball courts can double the amount of parking needed if the court is striped to accommodate two
pickleball games. The location of parking should be within reasonable proximity to the courts to support
accessibility and ease of play.
ADA Accessibility and Connectivity
People of all ages and abilities play pickleball. New pickleball courts must comply with the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) to be fully ADA accessible and reasonable efforts should be made to make
existing courts accessible when restriping for shared- use or pickleball-only courts. A continuous
accessible path of travel must connect the pickleball court(s) from public access ways and/or accessible
parking spaces if parking is available at the site. The number of accessible parking spaces should comply
with current county and ADA regulations.
The pickleball survey indicated that only 12 percent of respondents walk to play pickleball. Future sites
for pickleball should consider proximity to urban areas, higher density housing, and public
transportation connections. Targeting pickleball courts within these areas will help remove the barriers
to the sport for individuals that may not own a vehicle or be able to walk or bike to a court.
Court Lighting
Lighting increases the availability of courts by extending the hours of use. Survey results indicate that
pickleball play is not concentrated during any particular time of the day or part of the week; therefore,
the addition of lighting could accommodate one to three more playing sessions daily with sessions
averaging two hours depending upon the time of year.
Lighting courts will help support a greater number of games for both pickleball and tennis; and lighting
courts should be prioritized for any courts that are shared -use for pickleball and tennis use. Lighting can
also be considered for dedicated pickleball-only courts in groups of six or more to support evening
tournament and Drop -In play. The potential for court lighting should be considered in the park master
planning process.
The hours of park operation and adjacency of neighbors should be considered when planning for court
lighting. Lighting should be high -efficiency LED and full -cutoff to reduce light pollution into surrounding
neighborhoods and natural areas.
Environmental Considerations
New dedicated pickleball-only or shared -use courts should not be placed in locations where there is
abundant native vegetation, nor within Resource Protection Areas (RPAs), Floodplains, Environmental
Quality Corridors (ECAs), or within prohibitive easements. Additionally, new court construction should
consider low impact design (LID) stormwater best practices to accommodate the added impervious
surface area within the park or mitigate any loss to natural resources from construction.
Neighborhood Considerations
Pickleball is a social sport that can generate a moderate amount of noise and locations for play should
consider the proximity to nearby residences. When siting a court near a residential area, screening (e.g.,
engineered barrier, vegetation) should be considered. The survey results and input from other
jurisdictions found that pickleball tends to generate more noise than other court sports due to its larger
group sizes and paddle and ball materials.
Adjacency/Co-location Compatibility
New courts should not conflict with or displace other activities in the park. The location of dedicated or
shared use courts should work in harmony with the overall park design and adjacent facilities. As
pickleball is a social sport, planning pickleball courts in concert with other park facilities, such as shade
structures or seating areas, adds to the overall character of the park.
ATTACHMENT 6
Design Specifications
Permanent Nets for Dedicated Pickleball Courts
Pickleball net length should be at least 21'-9" extended between two posts. Net posts should be 22'-0"
from the inside of the posts and the maximum diameter of the net post should be 3." The net height
from the bottom edge of the net to the top should be at least 30." A center strap is recommended for a
permanent net and must be placed at the center of the net to enable easy adjustment to the 34"
requirement at the center. The top edge of the net should be covered with a 2" white tape binding over
a cord or cable running through the binding. The net may be made of any mesh fabric that will not allow
the ball to pass through. These specifications are for dedicated pickleball court nets and do not apply to
central nets for shared -use tennis/pickleball courts.
Movable Nets for Shared Use Tennis/Pickleball Courts
Two pickleball games can be supported per shared -use court utilizing movable nets. Movable nets can
be portable nets brought by the players or can be an on court/off court rolling net that is put into place
for pickleball games. Movable rolling nets are recommended and can be placed along the perimeter
fencing and secured when not being used. This approach is recommended as it better accommodates
players of different abilities.
Fencing & Gates
Dedicated pickleball or shared -use courts should be surrounded by a galvanized or vinyl coated chain-
link fence that is a minimum of 10 feet in height from the playing surface. The mesh size should be smal
enough (45 mm to 50 mm) to not allow the ball to pass through the openings. Fencing of 10 -foot height
can be considered for separating multiple pickleball courts within a cluster of courts. Fencing separating
groups of two pickleball courts is recommended to reduce ball migration.
Gates should be placed at both ends of the court/s whenever possible and should be designed to meet
ADA requirements to enable easy use of individuals of all abilities. Small maintenance gates that open
vertically can be considered in portions of the court to allow for easy removal of leaves and other debris
on the courts by operational staff or volunteers.
Court Surfacing and Line Striping
Court surfacing should be a textured acrylic coating over an asphalt or concrete base as standard for
Park Authority tennis courts. Court and line striping colors should be as specified in the layout diagrams
within this report.
Lighting
Should it be determined that the courts can support extended hours of use and is compliant with the
master plan, high efficiency LED lighting should be considered. Lighting should be full -cutoff fixtures and
placed to minimize light spillover into adjacent areas.
Site Furniture and Amenities
Benches should be considered within courts outside areas of play to provide seating for players that are
waiting for matches. Benches and other types of seating can also be considered outside of the courts if
possible. If seating areas are provided outside of the courts, shade should be considered using trees or a
shade structure.
Accessible portable or permanent restrooms should be considered for clusters of 6 or more pickleball
courts to accommodate the larger groups of players. Drinking fountains should also be considered if a
water line is accessible and there is funding to support construction and ongoing maintenance needs.
ATTACHMENT 7
Maintenance and Operational Considerations
Scheduling/Hours of Operation
The hours of operation of shared -use or dedicated pickleball courts will be subject to the operating
hours of the individual park or Rec Center. Both shared -use and dedicated pickleball courts are typically
made available on a first -come -first -serve basis and should also be made available to reserve on an
hourly basis per the terms and conditions of a park use permit with scheduling information and fees
listed on the Park Authority's Use Permit Webpage.
Additionally, it is recommended that the Park Authority designate specific times/days for pickleball or
tennis use only on a first -come -first -serve basis at shared -use courts to reduce conflicts between
different user groups. These designated times could be posted on signage at selected courts and made
available online for reference.
Given that the Park Authority's courts are not included in the county's centralized scheduling system as
are athletic fields, a similar online scheduling solution may be considered to measure utilization,
demand, and minimize competition for limited court space. An implementation plan may be developed,
should such work be approved and funding identified for such an effort.
General Maintenance Needs
Proper and regular maintenance of pickleball courts is critical for the usability and overall experience of
the players. All outdoor Park Authority pickleball and shared -use courts are a textured acrylic coating
over an asphalt or concrete base. This type of surfacing generally has a low maintenance requirement,
but over time the colors fade, cracks appear on the surface and uneven areas begin to develop.
Courts should be resurfaced every five to eight years on average if the court is showing signs of stress.
The resurfacing process includes surveying the court for damage and signs of wear, filling cracks,
applying a coat of acrylic, and finally a coat of paint with new play lines.
Cost Considerations
Dedicated and dual -use courts require funding for development, on-going maintenance, and operation.
The development of newly dedicated pickleball courts will require funding to build the pickleball courts,
and any park improvements to support the courts including but not limited to earthwork, parking,
accessible walkways, signage, stormwater management, lighting, seating, and landscaping.
Prior to development of the courts, costs should be considered for reoccurring operations and
maintenance needed after construction. This includes cleaning, resurfacing, restriping, net
replacements, and labor performed by maintenance staff. Courts generally need to be completely
replaced or renovated every 25 years which should be considered when fiscal planning. Table outlines
general costs associated with the development and maintenance of courts for planning purposes.
Although revenue may be used to offset a portion of these costs, specific revenue projections are not
included in this report and should be evaluated if appropriate.
Funding should be explored from a variety of available sources such as park bonds for capital
improvements, voluntary development proffers intended for park improvements, Park Foundation
donations and matching grants, as well as community partnerships.
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