Pickleball in Cranberry presses on through noise complaints
CRANBERRY TWP — Pickleball is America’s hottest sport, with tournaments broadcast on television and new courts popping up across the country. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, participation has increased by more than 158% in the past three years.
It’s almost impossible to avoid hearing about pickleball. However, part of the reason for that is because the sport can be loud: Spend a few minutes around a pickleball court — even a fair distance away from one — and there’s a distinct noise profile.
Cranberry Township has caught pickleball fever, and there’s no more popular place to play than the UPMC Passavant Sportsplex at Graham Park, which features 13 pickleball courts. Six more are under construction as part of a $1.7 million expansion project. During pickleball’s offseason, the park will place the six new courts under an air dome system to ensure that pickleball can be played rain or shine.
However, people who live near Graham Park have to endure the noise of several pickleball games taking place at once. The pickleball courts are open from sunrise to 11 p.m. seven days a week.
One resident, Stephen Ulintz, recently started an online petition proposing that the township change the opening hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and close the courts on Sunday.
“While we appreciate the importance of recreational activities and community engagement, the excessive noise and disturbance caused by these courts have greatly impacted the quality of life for many residents in our neighborhood,” wrote Ulintz.
For frequent player Jessica Todd, who plays in the early morning hours, that just won’t do.
“I come and play at 7 in the morning because I have a job,” Todd said. “That's the only time that I can come and play, because I also have children who I need to take care of in the evenings.”
Still, for the moment, pickleball goes on as before at Graham Park, with both hobbyists and league players coming to the Sportsplex every day. While most are aware of the fact that pickleball is an inherently noisy game, they aren’t sure what can feasibly be done about it.
“I would guess it's inherent, unless they could put up some type of a 20-foot screen,” said player Jim Trogolo. And I don't know how loud it is in the neighborhoods.”
One player, Luke Howe, found a potential solution after listening to an episode of the NPR show “1A” last week. He proposed the idea of bringing in special noise-dampening paddles, balls and screens that are in development.
“There're companies that are making (special noise-mitigating) balls and paddles, because this noise thing is all over the United States,” Howe said. “You won't be able to use it in tournament play because it changes the game, but in areas where there's a noise issue, it'll be an option.”
Cranberry’s leaders may have come to a similar conclusion. The township and the Cranberry Township Pickleball Association have brought in Bob Unetich of the company Pickleball Sound Mitigation to help make the Sportsplex a quieter place to play.
Among the methods used by the company to mitigate pickleball noise are sound barriers and quieter paddles and balls.
Of course, say some players, another solution may be for residents to accept that pickleball is here to stay for the long haul.
“You have airplane noise, you get used to it after a while, and you just have to put it out of your mind,” Howe said. “And if you walked up through here, you can slightly hear the noise, but not enough that it's gonna change anybody's life.”
