the staff of the Ridgewood Blog
Ridgewood NJ, the $50,000 Glen School Pickleball Courts are under utilized because of the hours and days imposed by the Village Council and the Village Manager. Mondays and Fridays these courts are locked. The hours that one can play is restricted to the hottest times of the day. Many of the residents are choosing to play at Wyckoff or Montvale at 8:00 AM. If you play Tennis in Ridgewood the courts are available 7 days a week. If you play Tennis you can play from 8 AM to dusk. We pay amount the same for our badges yet our days and times are NOT equal. We all pay taxes to live in this Village of Ridgewood. Yet, Pickleball players are not treated equally. Many of the players are senior citizens and have lived in town for many years. This discrimination is an embarrassment for the Village.
The biggest difference between tennis and pickleball is the noise – not just some noise, but a constant noise!
At 7 or 8AM from a distance of 150 feet you can barely hear a tennis ball. And the tennis ball crosses the net 3 times in about 4 seconds. From 150 feet you can hear the much louder “pock, pock, pock, pock” 4 times in just under 3 seconds. With tennis the ball goes over the net fewer times than in pickleball.
This doesn’t include the ambient noise of 4 players. In tennis, with greater distance between players, there is less talk and chatter. With pickleball, the players are 2 – 3 feet apart and there’s much more “chatter” amongst players.
This constant “pock, pock” noise can disturb sleep, become irritating, and interfere with many daily activities for those living nearby places where pickleball is played. This isn’t the case with tennis.
So while we all pay the same taxes, those living near pickleball courts can legitimately say that pickleball interferes with their reasonable enjoyment of their home and home life. This is the reason so many courts have decided for homeowners in disputes with pickleball courts
Good old Ridgewood. LET THEM PLAY PICKLEBALL
Yes, it is a different sound that the tennis ball. The sound tests that were done proves that the sound of the pickle ball playing is way below the acceptable levels. Also, Racketman, it is not constant. There is time when the ball is being retrieved and time between games. We would be happy if you come and see for yourself. Please come – watch & listen to residents enjoying playing. Perhaps you would enjoy
learning to play. It is a wonderful way to get exercise and meet new & old friends.
Forcing seniors, (or anyone) to play later in the day when temperatures are 10-15 degrees higher than at 8am becomes a health risk at this time of year, but the council doesn’t seem to care about that. (10 and 11 am start times on the weekends are unconscionable in the summer. ) They are making decisions about the courts based on last year when they chose to sell badges to non residents and they had 30+ people using those courts constantly every morning. Use of the courts has diminished greatly so their need to curtail the hours is really no longer necessary. I have yet to be there where all 4 courts are in use. And if this is such a problem in the neighborhood what plans do they have to relocate them somewhere better suited to the game? None.
Neighboring home owners’ quality of life is essential to preserve. No one is arguing against enjoying a popular sport. The only problem, literally, is the site of the courts. Somewhere else must be found for them and then everybody will be satisfied–and not until then. They should never have been set up there in the first place.
Please realize we live in a village where people are active.. whether or not we like pock pock of a softer tennis ball noise people made choices as where to live. We unfortunately do NOT have a recreational area like other towns.we don’t have the land.
We all make compromises and have to live together. I’m sure people don’t like football noises etc.. either deal with it embrace it cause it’s life.. healthy & happy.
If you like quiet.. don’t live where there are courts . They have been there for 30 years.embrace the fact that you live in an area where 80 year old people are alive active & healthy. Be proud! And yes there should be QUIET TIME. There are rules..
lawn services & construction have rules also & their noise is louder.
Accept the FACT that pickleball PASSED the sound test.. REmember..WE ARE ALL iN THIS TOGETHER
I like playing pocket pool
It’s amazing how much money is being spent on this bullshit.
We are a mile away from van Ness and the band shell and hear music all summer long. And all the noise with the fireworks and soccer kids screaming at graydon Park. Fire engines and ambulances have loud sirens and not to mention the train. Or leaf blowers..Should it all stop? This isn’t pleasantville .
Our mayor has become a micro manager and has allowed minimal negative voices drive her decisions. I think the loudest and obviously the most influential voice is her own. For some reason the other 4 let her rule the roost.
When the neighborhood was surveyed most of the neighbors had no issue with the sound of the pickleball being played. There was a get to know pickleball event when residents came to learn about the game. As far as it is known there are only a few residents who have had issues. One of them lives on the opposite side of the Glen School field. Another has has a vested interest in there being tennis courts being there instead of pickleball courts.
Do you realize, people do not play pickleball continuously throughout the day. They play, they garden, they shop, they clean their homes, they cook, they do laundry, they visit friends. They do
NOT sit around all day trying to shut any avenue of sound they don’t like.
What’s going on with the pickle ball crew. Will they have a reprimanded or the trainers week that I’m never going to do. The mayor council better have a set of balls on this. Because those two departments heads need to go.Way too much bullshit.
Bellair Courts are not ideal for pickleball. The tape or chalk lines are either ripped up or washed away with the rain. Pickleball players would rather play at Glen Courts which are lined and the nets are at the correct heights. Tennis players do not want extra lines on the courts.
TENNIS Players help support your fellow racquet/paddle players advocate equal days and hours for pickleball.