HomeMy WebLinkAbout101420 Stewart Proctor
Kristine Meidberg
From:Stewart Proctor
Sent:Wednesday, October 14, 2020 8:33 AM
To:Kristine Meidberg
Cc:Henry Perezalonso
Subject:For the Good of the Town -- Item for October 14 2020 PR&A Commission Meeting
Follow Up Flag:Follow up
Flag Status:Completed
Greetings! Please read the following into the record on my behalf at tonight's PR&A Commission meeting. Let
me know if you have questions or concerns. Thanks, SP
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Subject: Comments “For the Good of the Town” to be read into the record of the Oct 14, 2020, meeting of the Danville
Parks, Recreation, & Arts Commission pursuant to Item 3 of the meeting’s agenda.
Prepared by: Stewart Proctor, 1800 Saint Norbert Dr, Danville
Greetings to you all. This evening’s agenda includes a discussion of the “future of Parks, Recreation & Arts” (Item 5.2).
My comments are directed toward that topic, specifically, to encourage you to move forward with a first-rate pickleball
program of the quality and scope that meets the Town’s high standards.
At your September meeting, Mr. Ben Crockett of Danville conveyed the fact that pickleball is America’s fastest growing
recreational sport with more than four million regular players of all ages. As Commissioners, you have a mandate to
attend to emerging recreational trends. Danville is, in fact, surrounded by communities with both municipal and club-
based pickleball programs and facilities, but it has none of its own.
Mr. Crockett, proposed that you consider converting a single public tennis court into four pickleball courts -- a simple,
reversible, and minimally expensive project that would signal the Town’s support of pickleball while creating
opportunities for instruction, league play, and revenue generation. I totally concur with Ben’s proposal, especially in
view of its relatively low cost in contrast to projects such as bocce facilities, playground upgrades, and skate parks. Here
are some substantive points to support this project:
1.Low start-up cost – A standard-sized tennis court with its large surrounding area can comfortably
support four pickleball courts, two on each side. The tennis net can remain in place and serve as a ball
barrier. Primary start-up costs are minimal: purchasing portable locked-down nets and repainting the
court surface; (playing on multi-use courts with two sets of different-colored lines hampers play
significantly)
2.Low maintenance costs – Basically the same as tennis court maintenance
3.Reversible configuration – Reverting back to tennis, though unlikely, is simple and cheap to do if
needed.
4.Free high-level program development support – The USA Pickleball Association has a no-fee
Ambassador Program in which highly-skilled, locally-based Association representatives can be
consulted regarding facility and program development
5.Input from other well-established Bay-Area municipal programs (e.g., Concord, Walnut Creek,
Livermore) that can share utilization, program, and cost data (e.g., Concord, with 16 lighted PB courts,
has hosted state-wide tournaments)
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6.Opportunity to interface with HOA/country club courts and programs – Crow Canyon and Blackhawk
CCs have popular court conversions and active PB programs that include professional instruction,
round-robin tournaments, and COVID-compliant social events
7.Opportunity for revenue generation (instruction, use or reservation fees, hosting tournaments, etc.)
8.Improved facility utilization – 16 people can play pickleball comfortably in the same space as two or
four tennis players, and games are much shorter (even high-level pickleball games usually take only 15-
20 minutes to play)
9.Integration with private facilities for tournaments and interfacility league play
10.Integration with school facilities/programs; high school tennis courts under joint-use agreements, can
also be converted; pickleball is growing rapidly in school districts across the country
11.Totally consistent with the Commission’s Strategic Plan in multiple ways
12.
Useful websites for your consideration include usapickleball.org and walnutcreekpickleballclub.com
Please contact me if you have an interest in a private tour and introductory demonstration of competitive pickleball.
Thank you for listening!
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