First published in the Oct. 27 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
Our City Council took three steps ahead and two steps back in dealing with pickleball during their meeting on Oct. 18.
The three steps ahead were in support of permanent courts on Cornishon Avenue. The two steps back affect only our senior citizens in La Cañada who do not have access to private courts.
Glenhaven Park was home to pickleball until permanent courts were to be built. At least that was the perception. The pickleball program ends at Glenhaven Park on Oct. 28.
Ironically, noise was a factor to several residents living next to the public court, yet, our city has at least five private courts surrounded by neighbors closer to these courts than GHP is to its neighbors. In those cases, the private court neighbors also play pickleball. Glenhaven Park neighbors who were opposed to pickleball before the first game was played have refused to play pickleball, but at least some of those neighbors would do so if the courts were located elsewhere.
Bottom line, our seniors and residents cannot play pickleball on a LCF public court during the week until permanent courts are built. It is hopeful our school district steps up quickly to assist in covering this void at least temporarily. All that is needed is to create a dual-purpose tennis court. Our La Cañada Flintridge Country Club converted one tennis court to four pickleball courts while still being able to play tennis on that one court. The Flint Canyon tennis club converted a court also.
If some of our residents still do not know about pickleball, it is an activity that is easy to learn. It is exercise, it is social, and it can be competitive. Recently, sport professionals (LeBron, Brady and Brees) all bought professional teams as pickleball is here to stay.
Bill Koury
La Cañada Flintridge
