The Park Authority really wants pickleball out of Kendale Woods Park
It’s been over a year since the Fairfax County Park Authority temporarily closed the courts at Kendale Woods Park in Annandale over a dispute with pickleball players. The fence has been locked once again during the past few weeks.
“The tennis courts at Kendale Woods Park have been experiencing ongoing vandalism involving unauthorized painting and taping of pickleball lines, resulting in staining and defacing the court surfacing,” said Park Authority spokesperson Andy Grabel.
Related story: Park Authority removes pickleball from Annandale park
“Park staff closed the courts to repair and repaint them to remove pickleball lines,” Grabel said on Oct. 6. “The courts were temporarily reopened this past Saturday for the remainder of the weekend, after initial repairs were made. The courts are currently closed to complete the remainder of the repairs and will be reopened by 3 p.m. tomorrow.”
In March 2024, the Park Authority announced plans to revert the Kendale Woods courts, located in the Broyhill Crest community, to tennis only. That was done in response to a neighbor who complained about the noise from pickleball.
That action angered the local pickleball players who mounted a hard-fought, but ultimately unsuccessful, campaign to retain pickleball. They lobbied the Park Authority and Park Board, launched a petition, staged a sit-in, and filed an injunction. In June 2024, the Park Authority locked the courts and had the pickleball markings removed.
It is a huge detriment to the community to lose this pickleball court. This was done in response to ONE person complaining about the noise. There are pickleball haters and it is unfortunate because everyone I play with is an upstanding citizen who just want to have some fun and laughs and get some exercise, too. It is unfortunate that the park authority stooped to the level of one hater.
Jimenez is such a waste of oxygen for letting this go on. god damned outrageous our taxes are paying for a court that PEOPLE CANNOT USE because of some sanctimonious karen. vote him out.
Members of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board are appointed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors – this is why Jimenez could do something for constituents that vote. However he either doesn’t know how to do anything using leverage of position/job or more likely he was to avoid accountability and responsibility (a common practice for the Mason Supervisor – past and present). Your vote matters. That said, Rick Healy is the Mason representative on the park board – since Jimenez will not help – folks should reach out to Rick – per county website: [email protected]
Thanks for this JTR. I find it really frustrating that there are people who *want to use* a county park that is largely sitting unused and the parks department is literally barricading it to prevent it being used. All because, from what I recall, a *single resident* complained. Absolutely outrageous behavior.
Rick Healy is a political appointee and lobbyist with 40 years of experience. I will be very surprised if he cares about your pickleball email.
https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/19367/Richard_James_Healy.html
Imagine working hard to buy property or maybe even working two jobs so you’re exhausted when you come home – and then imagine being disturbed where you live every day of your life so that people can enjoy recreation. Not everyone works a 9-5 and people deserve peace WHERE THEY LIVE.
This is a pretty sanctimonious take. Populated areas are noisy. It’s just a fact of life.
The quiet at my home is broken at 7:00 AM daily by vehicle noise, construction noise, and coming soon leaf blowers. I would trade all of these for the sound of pickleball. Friday nights, I hear the cannon from Justice High School. It scares the snot out of my family and pets.
But I’m not out lobbying the county to change stuff because I’m not a selfish a-hole. But I am continually surprised by how many surround me.
I am guessing you don’t live near the area in question, not a dig just an observation. This is just kind of an odd situation. The individual who complained moved into a house right by a community pool, park, tennis court, basketball court and playground. If they wanted peace and quiet every day, don’t move literally right next to where people specifically come to enjoy recreation, the Kendale Park existed well before the particular individual moved in. I can understand pickle ball sounds can be irritating, I don’t care for it, but it isn’t like they moved into an isolated area and the park just happened to spring up. Also, people are allowed to make noise during the day. Just because you don’t have a 9-5, doesn’t mean everybody else has to walk on eggshells because you happen to be home. Further, there are other individuals home during the day on that stretch of road (abutting the courts), who have not complained and do not play pickleball. As somebody who is WFH, folks are living their lives around you, that does not mean your personal satisfaction trumps them living their life. I feel for the complainant, but pickleball players were not there every day all day. They moved into the social hub of the community, there will be noise especially during the day. The comparison I see, is if somebody was Vegetarian/vegan, and their neighbors had a BBQ, and then they complain to the county that they can’t deal with the smell of cooking meat. Would you support a community ban on meat for backyard BBQ, because one person complained? I feel for the resident, but there are other ways to address the situation than make it one where the courts are locked down, limited in function, and money is constantly being spent to “fix” it (and pickleball enthusiasts, use masking tape, not paint or duct).
That’s the silliest thing I’ve read all day. The park was there before any resident bought a house. People want to use a park.
They closed part of a park because someone complained that it was being used. It’s not more complicated than that.
Wah. What did you do before pickleball? Go cry in your quiet bedroom. Act like a grown up and go play somewhere else. What if that ONE person has a disability or PTSD or who cares? All this nonsense over something that wasn’t a thing until a few years ago because it went viral. Congrats you’re part of a fad.
Seriously, does the county Park Authority not have anything better to do than continue its campaign against pickle ballers at Kendale Woods because one person complained? And “vandalism” — talk about being drama queens! Such a waste of my tax dollars.
You all are absolute children there are multiple courts with a 5-10 minute drive where pickleball courts are actually designated how about you try being an adult and respect that pickleball is a nuisance to the neighbors even if it’s “just one neighbor” and go play your precious game elsewhere.
What snarky comments. And those courts are crowded and already serve neighborhoods that claim them as their own. Obviously, you know very little about Pickleball communities in the county..
There are courts at Annandale Community Park, Wakefield Park, and Round Tree park among others that are not “claimed” by neighborhoods you just aren’t willing to travel outside of your neighborhood to get your way. To each their own but at least acknowledge your sense of entitlement in the process. The rules say you can’t play pickleball there so follow them it’s honestly that simple. There’s no snakiness in somebody telling you the truth. Which clearly you’re not used to. (That’s the snarky comment you were looking for btw)
There should be separate courts for pickleball and tennis. In addition to fights and noise, all the markings and lines on the court make it look like graffiti.
There are already enough pickleball courts in Annandale.
Kendall woods tennis courts only had pickleball nets that were portable but we’re not made for leaving outdoor permanently. The courts have been for tennis since day one. Their are atleast 15+ courts to play on within a 5 mile radius in annadale. No reason to harp on a tennis court that had portable nets that weren’t established and were removed. Go to Wakefield Park their are 9 established courts
There are so many bigger problems going on in the region/ on the planet. Yall need to get your priorities straight. Pickle ball and tennis seem similar enough that a simple compromise could be reached if our local government put a tiny bit of effort into the matter before making a rash judgement.
Jiminez will propose one of his standard solutions: Turn this into an Art Exhibit and make us pay for it. Or propose a bike lane from 495 to the park entrance. Or propose high density housing project.
Here is Jimenez’s email if you want to tell him what you think. It is obvious that going to his government email does nothing.
[email protected]
So why is the FCPA the only entity in Fairfax who has worked to accommodate this new sport? Pickleball courts are 40x 20 rectangles that could be painted in a parking lot, driveway, or dead end circular. Has anyone asked why schools are not building them for PE? Parks was an early adapter for this sport and Kendale looked great at first but was a poor choice of location after experience kicked in. Let it go and focus your energy somewhere else.
I think we need public murals in Lincolnia. I think Annandale pickleball courts could use some murals also, and would be a good quiet activity for pickelballers.