The Anacortes community finds itself at the center of a burgeoning pickleball controversy, as residents actively petition the City Council to halt plans for adding pickleball lines to school tennis courts. This contentious issue highlights a broader debate over public space utilization and local decision-making, drawing significant attention from various stakeholders and underscoring the complexities of urban development in Anacortes.

A notable public outcry emerged with the submission of a petition to the Anacortes City Council on July 27, urging them to reject a proposal that would convert two of the six school tennis courts for pickleball use. This immediate and strong community response prompted the council to defer its decision on July 7, signaling the significant public interest and potential divisiveness surrounding the proposed modifications to the shared public parks facilities.

Jonn Lunsford, director of Anacortes Parks and Recreation, has confirmed that the proposal for the tennis courts is currently on hold. He plans to revisit the matter only after engaging with the incoming administrators of the Anacortes School District, including interim Superintendent Carl Bruner and Director of Finance and Operations Brian Fraser. This pause indicates a strategic approach to gather more input and ensure alignment between municipal and educational bodies on the future of these crucial public parks assets.

The initial concept involved not only adding pickleball lines but also resurfacing the tennis courts to address drainage issues and existing cracks. Under Lunsford’s proposal to the Anacortes School District, the city would fund up to $70,000 for these improvements, with the agreement that the courts would remain accessible to the public during non-school hours, aiming to alleviate pressure on other existing public parks in the city, like Clearidge Park.

Key concerns raised by residents, prominently featured in the petition by Amy Hong and Andy Pitz, revolve around the distinctive noise generated by pickleball, a lack of adequate parking, and non-compliance with park hours. High school tennis coach Bryan Benson also voiced concerns that the dual-use courts, with their added pickleball lines, could confuse visiting tennis teams and potentially deter them from playing, impacting the local sports scene and intensifying the tennis court debate.

Petitioners articulate that their opposition is not against pickleball itself, but rather a call for a more “thoughtful solution” to recreational space expansion in Anacortes. They argue that resources should prioritize repairing the existing damage and ensuring regular upkeep of the tennis courts, rather than spending taxpayer money on conversions that might compromise the courts’ primary use and exacerbate existing issues within public parks infrastructure.

Conversely, Lunsford highlighted that converting the existing tennis courts was identified as the most cost-effective method to expand pickleball facilities in Anacortes. This economic argument underscores the difficult balance city officials face between meeting diverse recreational demands and managing public funds efficiently, a common challenge in City Council news and local governance.

Councilmember Christine Cleland-McGrath noted during the July 7 meeting the irreversible nature of court conversion, emphasizing the need for thorough deliberation. While petitioners contend there hasn’t been sufficient community input, Lunsford points to discussions held at Parks and Recreation Commission meetings and his availability for direct engagement, indicating an ongoing effort to balance public feedback with administrative processes within the Anacortes City Council framework, which remains a key aspect of this pickleball controversy.