HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/2/2021 Item 11, Belsher
Wilbanks, Megan
From:
1, 2021 10:00 AM
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Feb 2 Agenda Item #11 Mitchell Park Pickleball Courts
To The SLO CITY COUNCIL:
Pickleball has become an incredibly inclusive and community based sport—with ever-increasing participation at all ages!
Please help alleviate the congestion of Pickleball players in SLO by:
1) approving the courts at Mitchell Park
2) permanently dedicating the tennis court at French Park.
While SLO has numerous facilities and opportunities for tennis, Pickleball has many players waiting for courts in SLO. The
tennis court at French Park is only used once or twice a week by two singles players. While they play for an hour and a
half, 16 Pickleball players could be using that one tennis court. Instead, there is a crunch of Pickleball players waiting
above to play.
The two singles players could easily find another court in the City during the morning hours they play—there are ample
court options. However, there are not other options for Pickleball. We have not seen any other tennis plays in the past
year and a half using that court, besides Kip Detmar and Anita Smith. When the court is open, the Pickleball players are
using the court—one tennis court equals four Pickleball courts.
I knew Joanna Santarsiere. She would have loved Pickleball and been more than happy to see her dedicated court
converted to Pickleball to accommodate the growing numbers of players. As Greg Avakian points out, Pickleball is not
only the fasted growing sport in America, it is also attracting our youth population and giving them an excellent outlet,
way to get exercise, get outdoors, meet others and learn a new skill. We love encouraging the young players we see at
French Park.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do to move this need forward: dedicating the French Park tennis court to
Pickleball.
It would truly alleviate the congestion, open up more opportunities and allow French Park to be a Pickleball hub with 7
courts. It’s also an easy fix. The Pickleball Club of SLO is poised to help make this possible and there are many others
who will contribute to this effort.
Please feel free to get in touch to discuss further: 805-380-8511. Many thanks for your kind consideration,
Jody Belsher
J BELSHER CREATIVE
www.jbelsher.com
www.Hearts-Gate.com
805-380-8511
If you’re walking in the right direction,
keep on walking, Zen proverb
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