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4.3
PARKS, RECREATION AND ARTS COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
TO: Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission February 10, 2021
SUBJECT: Review Options for proposed Pickleball Courts in the Town of Danville
and Provide Staff with a Recommendation for Action
BACKGROUND:
The Danville Parks, Recreation & Arts Strategic Plan Update (Plan) was adopted by the
Town in 2017 establishing a long-range vision and course of action for creating and
sustaining a high quality, interconnected system of parks, recreation and arts facilities,
services, and programs. The Plan includes several strategic recommendations for how to
provide inclusive recreational opportunities for users of all ages including supporting
emerging recreation activities to address trends and increase the variety of recreational
opportunities available to the community. Pickleball was identified and determined to be
a priority recommendation for the Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission
(Commission).
At the November 12, 2020 Commission meeting, Danville resident Ben Crockett provided
a presentation regarding pickleball with a request to consider the restriping and addition
of pickleball courts in the Town of Danville. The Commission also received public
comment both in support of, and with concerns of, loss of usage to the tennis community.
At that meeting, the Commission requested staff provide information regarding the
usage of current tennis courts and potential options for pickleball courts in Danville.
At the January 13, 2021 Commission meeting, the staff provided a report which included
information regarding tennis court reservation usage in the Town and the feasibility of
options for adding outdoor pickleball courts in Danville. The options discussed by the
Commission included:
• Option 1 -a pickleball overlay, creating multi-use tennis/pickleball courts by
adding pickleball lines to existing courts;
• Option 2- converting one tennis court into exclusive pickleball courts;
• Option 3- researching other locations within parks that may be able to be
converted into pickleball courts and;
• Option 4- not moving forward with any pickleball courts.
After discussion regarding tennis usage, the options for pickleball and hearing public
comments, the Commission recommended staff to move forward with Option 2 at Osage
Station Park by converting one tennis court into four dedicated pickleball courts by
spring or summer of 2021. They also recommended Option 1 as a backup if timing and
funding were not lining up to be executed in a timely fashion.
DISCUSSION
Upon receiving the recommendation from the Commission, staff began further
researching the feasibility and option of converting one tennis court to pickleball courts
at Osage Station Park.
Osage Station Park contains four tennis courts; generally, three courts are reservable and
one is available for community walk-on use. These courts are primarily reserved by
Town tennis programs, league play and commercial renters. Town tennis programs
consist of camps, group and private lessons. League play consists of local tennis leagues
scheduling their seasons and playoffs for their members. Commercial renters are
those businesses who rent the courts to provide group or private lessons to their clients.
With the conversion of one court at Osage Station Park, it is not anticipated to have a
significant impact to the availability of courts to the programs or rentals who have
typically reserved time at these courts. The anticipated change would impact the one
court that was made available for walk on use during rentals, which may no longer be
available if all three courts are reserved.
While inspecting the Osage site, it was determined that a preferred location for a
conversion would be Tennis Court B as this court is the furthest away from homes and
would help mitigate any potential noise concerns.
The site inspection further revealed that the one court conversion would not be able to
provide four dedicated pickleball courts. This site will not offer sufficient space between
courts for safe play. Any conversion would however provide two dedicated pickleball
courts.
A court conversion can be completed in a timely manner and can be funded fully by
CIP B627-Tiny Flourishes. Since it has been determined that only two pickleball courts
can be safely installed within the footprint of one tennis court, staff requests a
recommendation for action to continue to move forward with converting one tennis
court into two pickleball courts instead of four or pursue an alternative option.
RECOMMENDATION
Review options for outdoor pickleball courts in the Town of Danville and provide staff
with a recommendation for action.
Prepared by:
Henry Perezalonso
Recreation, Arts & Community Services Director