Noise and Pickleball : the addition of courts is causing concern

The addition of pickleball courts to Parc des Acadiens in Châteauguay will undoubtedly delight many fans of this racket sport, but it has raised concerns among some residents, who are well aware of the potential noise disturbances caused by the plastic balls. City officials say they have compromised by reducing the number of planned courts.

Translation Amanda Bennett

Norman Stamp does not understand why the City of Châteauguay chose Parc des Acadiens, which is surrounded by about 20 homes, to build outdoor pickleball courts.

“We totally get the need for sports, the need for kids. We moved here because the kids played in the park and because there was tennis off to the side,” he said.

Until recently, Parc des Acadiens had four tennis courts and a large grassy area where young kids played soccer in the summer.

(Photo : Le Soleil - Denis Germain)

A $2 million investment is planned for the park, which will soon include six pickleball courts, two tennis courts that can also be used for pickleball, and a space for ball hockey or handball. Originally, 16 pickleball courts were planned, but the plans were scaled back due to noise concerns.

Challenging coexistence

In recent years, several cities in Quebec, elsewhere in Canada, and in the United States have had to deal with neighborhood noise complaints about outdoor pickleball courts.

The City of Calgary, for example, removed a pickleball court this year that was located too close to residences. In a report on CTV News, the city explained that several complaints about excessive noise and non-compliance with the rules in place led to this decision. In British Columbia, the City of Victoria has banned pickleball from certain parks for the same reasons. Drummondville, Magog, and Shawinigan are other examples where citizens have spoken out publicly on the issue. In some cases, time limits have been added to promote neighborhood tranquility, and acoustic screens have also been installed.

Norman Stamp ( red shirt) with other neighbours against the new pickleball fields. (Photo : Le Soleil - Denis Germain)

“Any research will tell you that pickleball courts should not be in residential areas,” said Mr. Stamp. “The noise level drives people crazy. They have to stay inside, they can't open their windows during the day.”

The fact that the ball is made of plastic and hits a “solid” racket increases the noise level compared to tennis.

Pickleball is also very popular, so the courts are widely used.

The Châteauguay resident also regrets that part of the green space and trees were cleared to make way for the courts. Large streetlights were also added.

High demand

Châteauguay Mayor Eric Allard explains that Parc des Acadiens was chosen because it is “central” and already had racquet sports facilities. "We decided to remodel it and came up with the idea of centralizing the pickleball courts because demand is growing exponentially. I think it's great news. It means that lots and lots of people are keeping fit, and it helps build social networks," he explained in an interview.

When asked if other parks could have been considered, the Mayor replied that the situation is much the same everywhere: parks are generally located in residential areas. In fact, since the city has reduced the number of courts planned for Acadiens Park, it is looking into the possibility of adding more in other parks.

“The ‘not in my backyard’ mentality is extremely strong for everyone. [...] We always want it to be quiet around our homes, but at the same time, we live in a community and it's fun for everyone to be able to enjoy activities and have access to them,” said the Mayor.

He said that concerns have been addressed by reducing the number of courts and that screens will be added to help contain noise. He did not rule out the possibility of limiting the use of the courts if it becomes an issue.

For Serge Rajotte, president of the Châteauguay Pickleball Association, the addition of courts has been anticipated for over two years. The association has 280 members and is not accepting new members at this time, precisely because of the lack of outdoor facilities in the municipality. Sixty percent of the members live in Châteauguay.

The members' main playing field is at the Agora, which has six courts. It is also possible to play at Roger-Déziel and Isabelle parks. Mr. Rajotte is aware that there may be an issue with neighbors, although he has never received any complaints from residents near the Roger-Déziel and Isabelle courts. "It's not a simple situation. On the one hand, you have residents who want peace and quiet, and on the other, you have people who want to play sports, and sports are growing in popularity,” he said.

Mr. Rajotte adds that the Agora will remain the primary playing area for Association members, particularly because it is far from residential areas and because the site is covered, which is convenient on rainy days and during hot summer weather.