HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-07-2016 PRC Correspondence, Public Comment (Sipsas)CE VIED
SEP 07 2016
September 7, 2016 —51-0—(;I
CLERK
Shelly Stanwyck, Director San Luis Obispo Parks and Recreation
990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA
Dear Shelly,
As a tennis player whose family plays on San Luis Obispo City tennis courts I am
concerned about the planned pickleball striping of the tennis court at French Park.
Tennis is a physically demanding game which includes constant movement while
adjusting strategy to out maneuver your opponent. It is like playing chess on the run
and requires intense focus. Playing tennis on courts that have been defaced with
pickleball lines is confusing, and compromises the game of tennis.
Tennis is a sport for all ages, a great family activity and a healthy activity for our
youth. Tennis is a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) sport and there are
many young local players aspiring to play tennis in high school and even at the
college level who utilize our City's courts. The French park court is especially
important to learning the game because it has a wall marked net high that a player
can practice against. Outside of the private Avila Bay Club and SLO Country Club
I am unaware of this type of facility anywhere else in the area.
I appreciate the efforts put forth by the City of San Luis Obispo to accommodate
pickleball by adding courts at Meadow Park, French Park, Stoneridge, and Ludwig
Center in a relatively short period of time. I am also in support of the City planning for
new pickleball courts in the future, but unfortunately striping of the City's tennis courts
for pickleball use is not a viable option. It is not a simple matter of sharing court time
with,pickleball players, it is effectively eliminating a court for the City's tennis players
and those learning to play the game.
I encourage the Department of Parks and Recreation to prevent the loss of a much
needed City tennis court by not striping the French Park tennis court for pickleball use.
Thank you,
Helen Sipsas
116 Twin Ridge Dr.
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
805-704-0305
p.s. sorry I could not attend tonight's meeting in person because of a conflict with my
two daughters SLO High School back to school night.
Cc: San Luis Obispo Parks and Recreation Commission