Pickleball players protest Seattle plan to remove dozens of courts

Pickleball players are making their voices heard after the City of Seattle drafted a new plan that could wipe out dozens of courts.

According to Seattle’s “Racquet Sports Strategy” plan, the city would remove pickleball lines from public tennis courts, clearly separating the two sports. During the pandemic, the city added pickleball lines to existing tennis courts to meet the exploding demand for the burgeoning sport.

The proposal would reduce the number of pickleball courts from 92 to 56. Thirty-two courts that incorporate pickleball would be lost across seven neighborhoods in Seattle. Tennis would have 107 courts across the city.

Pickleball players and enthusiasts are petitioning the city to reconsider.

In 2025, pickleball, whose origins date back to Bainbridge Island just outside of Seattle, where it was invented in 1965, was crowned the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. for a third year in a row, according to SFIA’s Topline Participation Report. Pickleball has grown 51.8% from 2022 to 2023, and by 224% over the last three years. Every age demographic saw an increase in participation during this period.

In May 2023, Seattle had the most pickleball courts per 100,000 people in the U.S., though it has since been surpassed by Louisville, Kentucky; Madison, Wisconsin; and Honolulu, Hawaii.

Noise complaints force Seattle pickleball courts to change hours

Last year, three pickleball courts in Seattle had to set new hours after several noise complaints were filed.

According to the Seattle Parks and Recreation, pickleball courts at Gilman Playground, Laurelhurst Playfield, and Mt. Baker Park are now open at 7 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. after nearby residents repeatedly filed noise complaints to the city.

“SPR Planning Unit staff worked with representatives from the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) to conduct sound studies to determine the existence of potential violations,” the city stated. “It was found that due to the proximity of these courts to nearby residences, the noise being generated from use exceeds the legislative limitations.”

Gilman Playground was originally open from 4 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., while courts at Laurelhurst Playfield and Mt. Baker Park were open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

On weekends and city-observed holidays, the courts will be open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Locks will be put on the courts for 30 days to enforce the new hours if there is evidence that someone uses the facilities outside those periods. The locks could become permanent if there are further violations.

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