HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/2/2021 Item 11, Hernandez
Wilbanks, Megan
From:lanny <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Feb 2 Agenda Item #11 Mitchell Park Pickleball Courts
Mayor and SLO City Council Members,
I am sending this note to ask for your support for the development of new Pickleball Courts in
San Luis Obispo. Agenda item #11 asks for you to authorize project planning, design and
budgeting for adding two pickleball courts in Mitchell Park. As I understand, prior to the
current Pandemic with its various restrictions and Stay-at-Home orders, the Parks and
Recreation draft Master Plan and Element identified the need and deficiency of pickleball
courts in San Luis Obispo. Subsequent to that understanding, with Covid-19 restrictions in
place, the use of the existing 3 courts which were put in service in late 2019, has increased due
to new players and new families now playing pickleball. This new demand has, in itself,
overtaxed the courts while many of previous players have limited their playing time to
minimize risk of Covid spread and the recommendations from governmental and health
organizations.
As a senior, prior to the pandemic and its restriction, I was playing pickleball 4 mornings a
week. Because of Covid I can count, on my two hands, the number of times I have played
since March, 2020. I have just started playing again at the rate of once every week or
two. And, as you probably know, my age group stereo-typically represents a large percentage
of pickleball players. As we seniors return to post pandemic normalcy, demand for pickleball
court time will significantly increase. We currently need more court time and that need will
increase very soon as seniors like me return to playing.
The PRC, staff and the Council have authorized and been granted the majority funding for the
Mitchell Park pickleball courts from the State Parks grant. Well done.
Please approve this request from the Parks and Recreation Department as part of the
continuing plan to significantly increase pickleball court availability as soon as possible in San
Luis Obispo.
Thank You,
Allan Hernandez
2060 Wilding Lane
SLO
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