Park Board to recommend construction of large pickleball facility
A draft report on the Park Authority’s Pickleball Study recommends at least one large pickleball-only facility suitable for large groups and tournaments, with six or more courts. Funding would come from the 2024 park bond or another source.
The public is invited to a community meeting Sept. 14 to learn more about the Pickleball Study. Instructions on how to access the virtual meeting will be published here.
The Park Authority has 46 shared outdoor pickleball/tennis courts at 23 parks and schools, including Wakefield Park and Kendale Woods Park in Annandale, Spring Lane Park and Lillian Carey Park in Bailey’s Crossroads, Roundtree Park in Falls Church, and Providence RECenter.
The draft study was presented at a Park Authority Board meeting on July 28. Here are some highlights:
- Six dedicated pickleball courts are planned for construction at three parks, including two courts at Wakefield Park in Annandale and two at Hogge Park in Bailey’s Crossroads.
- Nineteen courts were added to tennis courts last year.
- The Department of Neighborhood and Community Services has eight to 10 shared courts at five sites, including the Bailey’s and James Lee community centers.
- About 77 percent of county residents live within a 10-minute drive of a pickleball court, and 96.5 percent live within a 15-minute drive.
- Existing pickleball courts best serve small groups and casual play. Options are limited for large groups or clubs and for pickleball-only courts.
- In selecting sites for new pickleball courts, the Park Authority should consider such criteria as tennis use and court demand, court layout, availability of parking, cost of operations and maintenance, access, neighborhood impact, environmental issues, and lighting.
- In 2020, just 1.1 percent of the U.S. population played pickleball, compared to 7.1 percent for tennis, yet both sports are growing at a similar rate since the previous year – 21.3 percent for pickleball and 22 percent for tennis.
- The Fairfax County Park Authority has seen a 573.7 percent increase in the use of its courts for all sports.
The draft report will be published Aug. 30. The final report is expected to be presented to the Park Authority Board in November.
11 responses to “Park Board to recommend construction of large pickleball facility”
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Imagine a cold lighted meeting room.
4 men, 2 women and 2 Non-Binary steps into this room.
the whole 4 are dressed with expensive suits, inside the room – a large table with organic tofu snacks and melted iceberg water.
they starts their laptops and review data meticulously collected during the past 10 years.
The review graphs, tables, they argue.
after long 15 hours of continuous discussion, even heated from time to time, the agree to adjourn the meeting.
Their final recommendation?
WE NEED A LARGE PICKLEBALL FACILITY.
I was never more proud of our elected officials.
If didn't spend so much time making up stories that you think will own the libs, you'd click the link and see that this is due to numerous requests for pickleball facilities.
I am all for our elected officials responding to our needs – but is pickleball a passing fad, or is it enduring?
Given the numerous real problems facing the county, if you think pickleball facilities are a high priority you need to have your head examined.
I assume you do nothing recreational because there are "real problems" you need to face right now.
I'm sure that a pickleball facility isn't the highest priority or need facing the county, but like most functional people/organizations, I'm sure that the county is cable of doing multiple things at once.
When did you people get so simple?
Theyre drawing on their own experiences. They can't do 2 things at once, so they assume nobody else can.
You're sure that the county is able of doing multiple things at once?
LOL
You must live on Barcroft, since obviously NOWHERE ELSE the county is able to do ANYTHING
Let alone "multiple things at once".
I bet next on the priority list is "add charging stations for Teslas"
i wonder how far at the bottom of the list they have "Law enforcement training" , "reduce crime" and "Improve infrastructures"
Park Authority needs to first fix the existing facilities especially in minority areas. Dowden Park tennis courts in Bailey's are in extremely unsafe conditions and have not been refurbished in 20 years.
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNX6kBaCbjFSpA19AlEHTrmLNAdSHJB9MLwnq-X2KsrG4I2CZ4Atg2W871q4UI0uQ?key=NWlFUU9kNE1WRWE3WjV1a3QyX05UUmlYQlNBek9n
The Dowden Terrace Park tennis facility is the very location I thought of when I saw this article. The County staffers say "next year" every time I have asked when they would be fixed, but next year never seems to come.
You should see the Walter Reed pickleball courts in Arlington. They have not been renovated in more than 70 years! Lots of injuries due to huge cracks and dips!