HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/2/2025 Item 5f, Hernandez
lanny hernandez <lanny@m4hz.com>
Sent:Monday, December
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Righetti Park Funding
Dear SLO Council Members,
This is a note to give my support to the recommendation by the Parks & Recreation Department to fund Phase
1 and Phase 1A of the Righetti Park development.
It has been too long waiting for construction of the park promised to the Righetti development years ago.
In addition, the inclusion of Phase 1A to the initial construction approval makes lots of sense both fiscally and
in fulfilling the city’s role of providing service to members of the community. As is obvious, waiting to develop
Phase 1A will just become more costly as time goes on.
The justification for adding Phase 1A is to satisfy the demand for court use. Currently there are only 3 public
dedicated pickleball courts in SLO. Below is a quickly created list of additional justifications:
1. Demand exceeds available courts
2. SLO has least number of dedicated courts in area
3. Average morning at French or Meadow Park has 20 people waiting to play at each venue with
12 person capacity
4. Many locals drive to Morro Bay, Shell Beach and AG to play in less crowded venues
5. Weekends more impacted
6. Lack of evening use an issue for working population
7. Growth in Pickleball Play continues across the globe and in SLO
8. Pickleball classes over the last few years are or are almost overbooked – six sessions per year
9. Lack of courts promotes competition between sports in shared use courts - Lower French and
Meadow – goal should be cooperation not competition between tennis, basketball and pickleball
10. Parks and Recreation identified Pickleball Courts as one of SLO’s highest priorities
11. Costs will only increase with time
12. Pickleball use is popular for most important constituencies - youth and seniors
13. Provides healthy recreation for all, especially youth and seniors
14. Pickleball promotes ad hoc, drop in participation
15. Pickleball provides healthy exercise for both women and men
16. Pickleball provides a social meeting place for all – men, women, seniors, youths
While some of the health benefits could be derived from other sports, the reality is that pickleball is a very
popular activity that has a very large participation base of players.
Allan Hernandez, 2060 Wilding Lane, SLO
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