Pittwater RSL plans to transform part of rooftop carpark into six pickleball courts
Locals are raising a racket in support of a sporting craze sweeping Sydney, backing a bold bid to transform part of an RSL club’s rooftop carpark into six pickleball courts.
Manly
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Locals are raising a racket in support of a sporting craze sweeping Sydney, backing a radical plan to transform part of a rooftop carpark on the northern beaches into six pickleball courts.
Pittwater RSL wants to take advantage of the sport’s surging popularity, lodging a development application that could give hundreds of local pickleball disciples another venue at which to play a fast-paced cross between ping pong, badminton and tennis.
When details of the application went on public exhibition earlier this year, the Northern Beaches Council received more than 100 submissions in just two weeks.
Of those, 86 respondents were supportive of the plans.
Pickleball originated in the United States in 1965 and is currently that country’s fastest-growing participation sport.
It is played with paddles and a plastic aerated wiffle ball, in singles and doubles formats, on a hard surface with a low net.
While the Pickleball Australia Association only launched in 2020 it already has 255 affiliated clubs and 15,000 members.
The association estimates about 25,000 people play the sport casually across the country.
The Northern Beaches Pickleball Association, which boasts of being the sport’s largest Australian club, with more than 1000 members, hosts leagues, tournaments and classes at eight locations including Curl Curl, Dee Why, Beacon Hill, Narrabeen and Warriewood.
Pittwater RSL is one of the club’s major sponsors.
The Avalon Beach Pickleball Association also organises games locally.
The RSL’s rooftop court proposal will go before the independent Northern Beaches Local Planning Panel on Wednesday.
In an assessment report for the panel, the council has recommended that the development application, which includes the removal of 34 club carparking spaces to allow for the new courts, be approved.
The proposal has been referred to the planning panel for adjudication due to the high number of public submissions.
Some anti-picklers are worried about the impact of noise and lights used during night matches will have on nearby homes.
The courts would be open for play from 8am to 8pm daily, and would be surrounded by a 2.5m “acoustic barrier” to dampen the noise.
Kevin Lee, who opposes the outdoor pickleball courts, instead suggested in his submission that they be “fully enclosed with no openings facing residences along Mona Vale Rd”.
Christine Wadsworth also opposed the plan due to the impacts on residents in Foley St.
“The distinct ‘pop’ sound from pickleball paddles and balls has led to noise complaints and community issues in other regions,” she wrote.
“The introduction of such a noisy activity to a residential area will inevitably affect the quality of life for nearby residents.
“Persistent exposure to noise can lead to increased stress and anxiety, particularly during peak playing hours.”
On the other hand, Amanda Blades backed the plan.
“This (development application will add to the sporting opportunities for pickleball players … and give us our own proper courts for the super popular sport, which can be played by people of all ages and abilities,” she wrote.
“The northern beaches has the largest pickleball club in Australia and pickleball is a well-run sport that adds to the quality of life of all the players.”
Sandra Muscat pointed out, in her submission, that membership of the Northern Beaches Pickleball Association had leapt from a little more than 100 members to more than 1000 members in one year.
“With the extra courts provided by Pittwater RSL our members would have many more opportunities to have a game of pickleball as well as using the social aspect of the RSL.”
Pittwater RSLchief executive Jason Manning declined to comment on the proposal until the planning panel made its decision.
WHAT IS PICKLEBALL?
Pickleball draws a lot of comparisons to tennis, but a paddle and aerated ball replace a racquet and tennis ball.
The playing surface is also much smaller.
Serving and receiving have a two-bounce rule, meaning the serve and return have to be allowed to bounce before a rally can start.
A non-volley zone close to the net applies, promoting extended play. All the usual rules of needing the ball to bounce on or inside the lines apply.
Games are played with the first to 11, 15 or 21 points winning, as long as the margin is two or more.
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