Pickleball is a beloved sport in our community, offering a unique opportunity for individuals of all ages to come together in a spirit of camaraderie and competition.

At the Green Lake Tennis Courts, it's not uncommon to see a seven-year-old playing alongside someone in their eighties, laughing and sharing the joy of the game. This intergenerational aspect makes pickleball one of the most inclusive recreational activities we have.

However, the Seattle Parks department's rules in place at Green Lake is limiting this inclusive experience. 

Despite being named Seattle's first pickleball hub by the Seattle Parks and Recreation, private reservations for pickleball still occur, disrupting daily open play for many participants. This situation has diminished the communal experience that pickleball naturally fosters, as scheduled reservations reduce the availability of courts for spontaneous and informal play. The community needs a system that recognizes open play as a priority at Green Lake, ensuring the courts remain accessible to players at all hours, every day. A transition to open play would support hundreds of players who form this vibrant community, allowing pickleball to continue to thrive as a public sport that brings us all together.

According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, pickleball has shown a meteoric rise in popularity with over 4.2 million players in the United States alone, growing annually by 20%. This increase underscores the importance of adapting facilities to meet the demand for this rapidly spreading sport.

Last year, several other municipal parks departments flew to Seattle and played at Green Lakes courts to see how the birth place of Seattle handles pickleball. They saw our vibrant community and everything we've built but since then the Parks Department has failed to deliver on their promises made. Instead it has cost the volunteer organizers $4000 a month to reserve time for open play to keep our community running. We were treated as a photo opportunity and nothing more. They charge us to keep the community running and then take the credit for "fostering" pickleball in Seattle by showing off to other municipalities on what a "great job" they're doing it.

It's time for Seattle Parks and Recreation to earn the praise they've been given and live up to their promise of making Green Lake a Pickleball Hub and fostering the community aspect of Pickleball.  This change is also not without precedent as neighboring Mercer Island adopted the following open play rules at their new Luther Burbank courts:

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When courts are full: Play a single game to 11 points (win by 2) and then yield the court to waiting players.
Waiting players will sequentially stack paddles along the WEST fence line.
Proceed to the next open court when available. 

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Mercer Island knows the value of pickleball as they mention on their website: "As pickleball's popularity continues to grow, these new courts add vibrancy to Luther Burbank Park, enriching the City's recreational offerings." Why can't the Seattle Parks Department also see the value in a sport that brings so many people of all backgrounds and ages together for recreation?

I urge the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department to adopt Pickleball Open Play for all hours at Green Lake Tennis Courts and prevent any private reservations from being made at Green Lake East. By doing so, we can ensure these courts serve their purpose as a community hub for one of Seattle’s fastest-growing sports.

Join me in this cause to prioritize community and inclusivity at Green Lake Tennis Courts. If you play at Green Lake or have ever stopped by and joined the stacks, please sign this petition to support Pickleball Open Play for all, every day.

Please note: Donations from this page do not go to our cause. They go to change.org which does not help us.