SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – A popular game is causing a racket at a South Burlington park, and now people who live near the pickleball courts are trying to get the city to move them.
The sound of a paddle on a plastic ball, on repeat from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Some people who live near the noise hub, Szymanski Park, are sick of it.
“The noise level is unbearable, and I am about 100 feet away, and I get the same decibel level as when you’re standing courtside,” neighbor Jovana Guarino said.
Guarino has lived in the area for 33 years, and she says Szymanski had always been a quiet park up until a couple of years ago when pickleball took over. The courts were previously only used for basketball and tennis.
“My concern is mostly the children, you saw some parking, and only one court is being used. When 40 people are here, cars parked down the road, both sides, turning Andrews Ave. into a one-lane road,” said Guarino.
Guarino says putting the pickleball courts in was a mistake on the city’s part.
“I don’t think the city knew it was going to be this bad. They know now. We’ll see what the city does,” she said.
At a City Council meeting Monday night, South Burlington leaders heard from those on both sides of the controversy.
Council Chair Tim Barritt says they understand the concerns and are considering several options, but since Szymanski is the only public pickleball court in the city, the path forward is unclear.
“Some of the noise, it bothers them and we totally understand that. The randomness of the ‘pop, pop, pop’ type noise for many hours can wear on you,” said Barritt.
Staff from the Parks and Rec Department say there are a few things they could change about the park, including adjusting park hours, turning off court lights earlier and looking at the cost of soundproofing matting for the inside or outside of the courts.
“We’re going to reconvene an agenda item at our next meeting to talk about and get feedback from that department to see what changes we can make, and I think we are thinking that some adjustments need to be made at that park,” said Barritt.
As for the parking, Barritt says players should look for alternate places, like Overlook Park or Deerfield, and walk down the bike path.
But Guarino says these options aren’t enough, and she won’t stop her efforts to get pickleball completely removed from the area. She’s even started a petition with about 60 signatures from those in the neighborhood who feel the same way.
“I’m hopeful for some changes like shortened hours, and ultimately I’ll keep advocating for it to be moved someplace safe,” said Guarino.