Maple Grove, Minnesota — The distinct dink of a paddle against a pickleball is noticeably absent from Fish Lake Woods Park in Maple Grove.
The pickleball court has been painted over, and signs on the fence surrounding the tennis court surprised neighbor John Messerly: pickleball is prohibited.
“At first I thought it was a joke, I thought that somebody had just put them up and tried to be the one cranky neighbor,” he said.
But it’s not a joke. Pickleball was banned on the tennis court at Fish Lake Woods Park by the Maple Grove Parks and Recreation Board this month due to noise complaints from neighbors.
Following the complaints, the board considered noise mitigation, which would have been costly and only marginally beneficial to the second-story townhomes closest to the courts, Parks and Planning Superintendent Ben Jaszewski stated.
The board then reviewed sound studies from other cities, which consistently recommended keeping pickleball courts 150 to 200 feet away from homes. The nearest townhomes to Fish Lake Woods Park are 75 feet away.
“We’re not against pickleball.” “We just want to put pickleball in the right places,” Jaszewski explained.
The couple who filed the complaints claim they have lived next to the park for 20 years and had no problem with noise until pickleball became popular.
“Tennis is fine. Basketball is fine. When pickleball came along, it just got louder and more disrespectful. They said the noise with the wood paddle — the ting, ting, ting — lasted all day.
The neighbors say they’ve received threats and want to remain anonymous.
The popularity of the sport has revitalized and increased demand for tennis courts across the country. While Maple Grove has other Pickleball locations, Messerly and many of his neighbors prefer to use their neighborhood park.
“I think the real value of having community parks is that you are working on building community,” he stated. “If you live next to a park, you will hear noise. You have to expect it.”
Messerly has circulated a petition asking the Parks & Recreation board to reconsider, which has now received over 260 signatures. Neighbors intend to address the issue during Thursday’s public comment period.
However, Jaszewski stated that the Park & Recreation Board intends to use the 150-foot distance as a guideline for future pickleball court locations. He stated that the city may need to address other courts in the future.
Despite their disagreements, Messerly and the complaining neighbors say they are willing to compromise, whether it means setting aside special hours for pickleball or requiring quieter paddles.
“I think it’s really something where the more people are willing to talk to each other and work through solutions, it’s going to come to a better result and build community in the process,” Mr. Messerly said.
“I would be willing to make a compromise as long as they do not retaliate and cause us any harm or violence. “I mean, we’ve been nothing but respectful to everyone in the park,” the neighbor explained.