Thank you for the opportunity to request additional dedicated tennis courts and pickleball courts for Maui County, Both sports are fun, challenging and aid in players remaining involved and healthy. The courts would be actively used and would benefit the well being of the players and may encourage others to do something healthy for themselves. Many thanks.
I fully Support more Pickleball Courts being built on Maui. As Pickleball has become increasingly popular, the need for more courts is imperative. Mahalo
I fully support the increase of pickle ball courts on Maui. I am a full time resident on the Northshore where there are very few public picklebakk courts. If one cannot afford to be a member of the Maui Country Club, there are few options for the public. My husband and I both play, many of our friends have begun playing.. It is an incredible sport for active adults, a great workout and social activity. The wait times at the few public courts are getting lengthier and the distance from home does not make it easy. This sport is very popular and quality, designated Pickleball courts would enhance the lifestyle of all ages. It is very heartening to see the keiki out there playing. Also, Covered courts would increase their usability. In my travels I have seen cities that are much smaller with a greater number of courts. The economy would benefit from more courts with more players needing equipment, refreshment etc. Please, be conscientious, consult with the Pickleball associations here and build, repair, convert pickleball courts
I support the county of Maui furthering PickleBall. Many of the courts are not even painted. Im not sure though that the county council cconsiders pickle ball that important, so I have little faith in what you will do.
Alan LLoyd
Wailuku
alanlloydlac@gmail.com
I am a tennis and Pickleball player. I play tennis about 4 times a week and Pickleball about 1 time a week. There are a lack of tennis courts in central maui and upcountry. Two of the Lahaina civic center tennis courts already have been converted to Pickleball. There are so much empty space in Maui. Tennis and Pickleball are great social and recreational sports. They help build a healthy Maui. Please provide more tennis and Pickleball courts rather than taking courts away from tennis. Mahalo, Christine Ho
I believe there should be more pickleball courts on Maui. Almost always there are more people wanting to play then there is available space on the courts.
Increases facilties equals increased demand for lodging ,meals etc. Pickleball has become such a popular spoert that many (including myself) Plan vacations around the availabity of Pickleball facilites. It would behoove the Maui park and rec department to provuide quality dedicated courts in the popular areas of Maui. I have played at 2 different public pickle ball courts on converted tennis courts and while they are better than no option both have significant safety and liability concerns due to courts surface and and tot small of courts. If you want to do it right 4 courts on an old smaller demensioned tennis court does not get the job done.
I support having more permanent Pickleball courts with maintenance. I play pickleball 4 times a week as my main exercise and social connection. I am retired and a permanent resident and home owner on Maui. I appreciate the growing numbers of people who are playing pickleball and have been limited in playing due to the number of courts and the increasing number of people playing. many days especially in Kihei with over 50 people playing it can be a long wait to play. I also play in Haiku behind the community center where more and more people are starting to play. We honor basketball players and need permantly marked lines for the protable nets we put up to play pickleball. thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Ease Oldham
Starting in August of 2021, my family, friends and I have started playing pickle ball at the Lahaina tennis courts, next to the Lahaina Civic Center. We have had a great time getting out in the fresh air and meeting new people. The only downfall to playing pickle ball at that location is the limited amount of courts. As you know one (1) of the tennis courts was reconfigured to fit four (4) pickle ball courts within that space. During the morning from about 7 a.m. to about 10 a.m., and then again in the afternoon from about 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., many people utilize the pickle ball courts. The ages range from about 5 years to 80 years old. It is extremely rare to not see a bunch of people waiting for a court to open up, so they can play a game. While at the same time there are seven (7) additional tennis courts that most of the time are empty. I work in that area, so I pass by the courts multiple times a day. At times there are one(1) or two (2) tennis courts being utilized throughout the day. There is a large demand for more pickle ball courts. One (1) more tennis court converted to four (4) pickle ball courts would greatly benefit the Lahaina community. Pickle ball has gotten people off of their couches and out exercising. The courts have done exactly what they were designed to do.
Strongly support Pickle Ball for our community. Especially in the Lahaina courts where a huge increase of people from all over have gathered. Such a wonderful place for all ages to gather and be active during these challenging times. My kids, grandkids, and friends enjoy playing pickle ball. The only complaint I've heard is that there are not enough courts to play on since so many people drive to Lahaina to play. Let's increase the outdoor activity and encourage our community to stay active.
I support the building of new dedicated Pickleball courts as well as repair of current Pickleball courts such as those in Kihei, where cracks present a chance for significant injury of players. I also urge you to facilitate an attitude of cooperation between all stakeholders to make the courts situation work for everyone.
While some seem to focus on small things such as a piece of tape on a court, we need to continue to focus on the the bigger picture. The number of Pickleball players, both local and tourists, has grown exponentially on Maui. On Tuesdays in Kula, for example, all four courts are busy and there are usually 12 - 16 people waiting. Pickleball courts have the unique advantage of serving large numbers of both locals and tourists, allowing us to benefit from serving both groups. Pickleball players become proficient quickly, equipment is easy to carry and the intergenerational nature (I am 62 and it is something my 22-year-old godson and I can enjoy together) makes it a sport to enjoy at home or while on vacation.
I appreciate the time and financial commitment needed to build new courts, but Pickleball will continue to grow in popularity because, unlike many other sports, it provides physical and social benefits to all ages. Until courts can be built, it is important to establish policies that encourage the cooperation of all stakeholders to find solutions for everyone to use the courts as long as they are respectful and maintain themas if they were their own. They are a public resource, supported by our tax dollars, and shouldn't be seen as the "property" of one group. It is also important, as we move forward, that all stakeholders (including the county) recognize that none of the groups can hold everyone who plays that sport accountable. A badly behaved tennis or Pickleball player does not mean that either group is inherently bad and shouldn't be used to condemn the group as a whole.
As a kupuna, newly diagnosed with diabetes, I recognize the value of exercise and need facilities in my community that help me improve my health. In the long run, it can reduce cost and burden on our community. I also continue to support resources that benefit others, even if they don't benefit me. That is what being part of a community is all about!
As you move forward, I encourage you to continue to seek input from the Pickleball community. Mahalo.
I support the building of new dedicated Pickleball courts as well as repair of current Pickleball courts such as those in Kihei, where cracks present a chance for significant injury of players. I also urge you to facilitate an attitude of cooperation between all stakeholders to make the courts situation work for everyone.
While some seem to focus on small things such as a piece of tape on a court, we need to continue to focus on the the bigger picture. The number of Pickleball players, both local and tourists, has grown exponentially on Maui. On Tuesdays in Kula, for example, all four courts are busy and there are usually 12 - 16 people waiting. Pickleball courts have the unique advantage of serving large numbers of both locals and tourists, allowing us to benefit from serving both groups. Pickleball players become proficient quickly, equipment is easy to carry and the intergenerational nature (I am 62 and it is something my 22-year-old godson and I can enjoy together) makes it a sport to enjoy at home or while on vacation.
I appreciate the time and financial commitment needed to build new courts, but Pickleball will continue to grow in popularity because, unlike many other sports, it provides physical and social benefits to all ages. Until courts can be built, it is important to establish policies that encourage the cooperation of all stakeholders to find solutions for everyone to use the courts as long as they are respectful and maintain themas if they were their own. They are a public resource, supported by our tax dollars, and shouldn't be seen as the "property" of one group. It is also important, as we move forward, that all stakeholders (including the county) recognize that none of the groups can hold everyone who plays that sport accountable. A badly behaved tennis or Pickleball player does not mean that either group is inherently bad and shouldn't be used to condemn the group as a whole.
As a kupuna, newly diagnosed with diabetes, I recognize the value of exercise and need facilities in my community that help me improve my health. In the long run, it can reduce cost and burden on our community. I also continue to support resources that benefit others, even if they don't benefit me. That is what being part of a community is all about!
As you move forward, I encourage you to continue to seek input from the Pickleball community. Mahalo.
Aloha and thank you for the opportunity to share some observations regarding the explosive growth of Pickleball on Maui. My name is Greg Smith. I am one of the Maui Pickleball Ambassadors. Our goal is to increase the awareness of the public about this great game with a crazy name. If money was no object, I would urge the county to build a suite of new Pickleball Courts. As am example, Naples, FL. has a population of 21,812 and has 87 Public Pickleball courts. The Mexican town of Los Barriles in Mexico has a population of less than 5000 people and they have 10 premium courts. The list goes on. Thanks to Kihei resident Sam Martone, the Kihei Waipuilani courts during the first 18 days of October, between 8:00AM and Noon, recorded 758 Pickleball players and 38 tennis players. That is not an uncommon ratio. We're all getting older. Pickleball is played on a court 1/3 the size of a tennis court and is much easier on the knees, hips, ankles, shoulders etc. It's a great way for seniors to get some exercise and have FUN while doing so. It is a very social sport as well as one offering exercise.
One final thought. I am quite sure, you will get plenty of "we need more pickleball requests from across the island " but I would like to add one suggestion. In 2019, the county had approved and budgeted $40,000.00 for new courts right outside of the Eddie Tam Gymnasium. When we ambassadors learned of this from Billy Amoral (East Maui Manager), we strongly cautioned both he and Director Peters to avoid an expenditure of the county's precious funds to build Pickleball courts anywhere that would be exposed to the trade winds that blow 80% of the time. Billy shared with us that in an earlier attempt to block the wind that was impacting the one tennis court that is already at Eddie Tam, a wind screen was put in place. The trade winds blew down the wind screen AND the fence that held it up- twice. Building Pickleball courts there would have been a waste of county funds and would not have contributed to the Pickleball court shortage because the proposed courts would have been unusable due to the wind sensitive dynamics of the pickleball that is essentially a wiffleball.
All of this is to say, that a fiscally sound (low cost) first step would be to paint the Pickleball lines on a number of the tennis courts so they become dual use public facilities (the Pickleball community will bring their own portable nets), This would be a low cost way to relieve the need for more pickleball venues that would be a great first step until you are able to fund some new Pickleball court construction please.
When you do, please include a review with some experienced Pickleball players to assist you with the layout and a wind analysis of any proposed sites. I am sure you would agree that a phone call and quick inspection could save thousands of dollars and avoid a replay of the Eddie Tam wind screen event. By the way, this solution has been in place at the War Memorial Tennis courts for a year and half without causing the sky to fall. Due to the dimensions of the Pickleball court vs. a tennis court the dual use lines do not interfere with the tennis play.
Thank you for your consideration and thanks to Karla Peters, Mary, Angus, Jason and staff who do so much with limited funding.
PS. One note in response to a comment that the tennis courts are “ONLY” for tennis, I would like to make mention that these are PUBLIC courts that were built with taxpayer’s dollars. And the pickleball players also pay taxes. Thank you. To not be open to sharing the facilities just does not resonate with the Aloha Spirit that makes Hawaii such a unique and wonderful place to live.
Aloha Committee-members. My name is Debbie Brint-Woessner, and I’m a Haiku resident. I’ve played pickleball regularly for about 2.5 years at Haiku Fieldhouse, the War Memorial courts and before it closed, Eddie Tam Gym. No need to debate the merits of exercise, but pickleball is fun and healthy and enjoyed by people of all ages. As you know, the sport’s popularity is growing exponentially across the country. It’s imperative that Maui County recognize that fact, and act now to help ease overcrowding on our courts.
I wholeheartedly support using my tax dollars to build dedicated pickleball courts. Since the court is smaller, pickleball takes up less space than a tennis court. Until that happens, I would like to see underutilized tennis courts upgraded and restriped with permanent lines to accommodate pickleball. Currently the pickleball community often must use tape or chalk to mark the courts, as well as provide their own nets. I also support creating specific times when existing courts are reserved for one sport or the other. Tennis and pickleball can co-exist. Mahalo for your consideration.
Let’s get this done people. More dedicated Pickelball Court’s in Kula. It’s a shame we are always having to put down tape to play a game that the county lacks any interest to fix.
Aloha Council Members, My husband and I became Kihei residents just prior to the pandemic and we were condo owners and frequent visitors for 10 years prior to that. My husband plays tennis 3-4 time weekly and I play Pickleball at Waipulani park 3-4 times a week. Every day I am able to play Pickleball at Waipulani park I feel so blessed to be able to enjoy this fun, healthy sport in such an amazing spot, with its awesome views and weather. We very much appreciate the new porta-potty at the sight, Mahalo for that! It is appreciated that we have 4 permanent pickleball courts with nets and lines, but the court surfaces are badly in need of repair and given number of players, the number of courts is insufficient, even during off-peak times and the problem is exponentially worse during peak tourist season. To minimize wait times, we have privately purchased equipment including 3 portable nets, balls, etc. to add 3 more courts. Even with these additional 3 courts, a sign up board is still required and there is typically a wait time, particularly during peak season when we can have up to 20-40 people waiting to play. The most annoying part of the above situation is that we have been prohibited from storing the above equipment (portable nets, balls etc.) in a locked up storage bin on the property. This means that a dedicated group of players have to DAILY bring this equipment to the courts in a cart, set up the nets and then take them down and haul them away and store them at a private residence at the end of play each day!! We have a sturdy locker and locks which were purchased to allow us to securely and safely store the equipment on site to avoid this unnecessary hassle, but the county told us we cannot do so and has threatened removal. The bottom line is that Pickleball is a fun sport which is growing exponentially and is a great way to encourage exercise and community involvement, but the existing facilities to support this sport in Kihei are currently insufficient to meet existing demand, never mind support future growth. We are very appreciative and grateful that the council is discussing this matter and trying to develop a plan to meet the community needs.
I am writing this testimony in support of expanding the sport of Pickleball on Maui, as it is a fun, easy to learn sport for all ages and backgrounds. In the past few years, there has been an explosion of interest in the sport! My Pickleball friends and I ask that you please build dedicated Pickleball courts in Wailuku, Haiku, Kihei, and Lahaina. We ask that they are built with roofs and one wall, modeled after the Haiku Field house. We also ask that Pickleball leagues be created, similar to tennis leagues! We know these requests make take time, so in the interim we ask that you at least give us permission to paint Pickleball lines on the upper tennis courts at War Memorial and at the Field house in Haiku. We also ask that you give us permission to purchase trunks with locks to be left at the upper courts at War Memorial and the Haiku Field House to store Pickleball nets in, just as you gave permission for people to do this at the Waipuilani Courts in Kihei. We also want you to know that we are not trying to take courts away from tennis or basketball players. As my Pickleball friends can attest to, there are rarely more than 4 people playing tennis at the War Memorial courts on any given night. In fact, this past week, the lower tennis court was empty by at least 6pm on two of the nights we were there. Also let it be noted that there are many Pickleball players who also play tennis!! As far as basketball goes at the Haiku Field House, we rarely run into basketball players on Saturday mornings. Please Maui County council members, help grow this sport and come in and join the fun!! Finally, can someone please put new light bulbs in the bathrooms at War Memorial tennis courts, and can there be lamps lighting the way on the sidewalk from the courts to the parking lot? These are safety issues and I get very scared going to the bathroom or my car at night in the dark. I would not like to see the county sued either. Aloha!!!!
Thank you for the opportunity to request additional dedicated tennis courts and pickleball courts for Maui County, Both sports are fun, challenging and aid in players remaining involved and healthy. The courts would be actively used and would benefit the well being of the players and may encourage others to do something healthy for themselves. Many thanks.
I fully Support more Pickleball Courts being built on Maui. As Pickleball has become increasingly popular, the need for more courts is imperative. Mahalo
I fully support the increase of pickle ball courts on Maui. I am a full time resident on the Northshore where there are very few public picklebakk courts. If one cannot afford to be a member of the Maui Country Club, there are few options for the public. My husband and I both play, many of our friends have begun playing.. It is an incredible sport for active adults, a great workout and social activity. The wait times at the few public courts are getting lengthier and the distance from home does not make it easy. This sport is very popular and quality, designated Pickleball courts would enhance the lifestyle of all ages. It is very heartening to see the keiki out there playing. Also, Covered courts would increase their usability. In my travels I have seen cities that are much smaller with a greater number of courts. The economy would benefit from more courts with more players needing equipment, refreshment etc. Please, be conscientious, consult with the Pickleball associations here and build, repair, convert pickleball courts
Pickelball community is growing everyday with locals and visitors. Please more Pickelball courts. Thank you.
Maui County needs more Pickleball courts.
Fastest growing sport for locals and visitors.
I support the county of Maui furthering PickleBall. Many of the courts are not even painted. Im not sure though that the county council cconsiders pickle ball that important, so I have little faith in what you will do.
Alan LLoyd
Wailuku
alanlloydlac@gmail.com
I am a tennis and Pickleball player. I play tennis about 4 times a week and Pickleball about 1 time a week. There are a lack of tennis courts in central maui and upcountry. Two of the Lahaina civic center tennis courts already have been converted to Pickleball. There are so much empty space in Maui. Tennis and Pickleball are great social and recreational sports. They help build a healthy Maui. Please provide more tennis and Pickleball courts rather than taking courts away from tennis. Mahalo, Christine Ho
Subject: Testimony for more Pickleball courts
I believe there should be more pickleball courts on Maui. Almost always there are more people wanting to play then there is available space on the courts.
Barry Lewis, Maui Resident
Increases facilties equals increased demand for lodging ,meals etc. Pickleball has become such a popular spoert that many (including myself) Plan vacations around the availabity of Pickleball facilites. It would behoove the Maui park and rec department to provuide quality dedicated courts in the popular areas of Maui. I have played at 2 different public pickle ball courts on converted tennis courts and while they are better than no option both have significant safety and liability concerns due to courts surface and and tot small of courts. If you want to do it right 4 courts on an old smaller demensioned tennis court does not get the job done.
Aloha please see my video link https://1drv.ms/v/s!Avs5Jueba2HIuXosCtRGXUeNYFXk
I support having more permanent Pickleball courts with maintenance. I play pickleball 4 times a week as my main exercise and social connection. I am retired and a permanent resident and home owner on Maui. I appreciate the growing numbers of people who are playing pickleball and have been limited in playing due to the number of courts and the increasing number of people playing. many days especially in Kihei with over 50 people playing it can be a long wait to play. I also play in Haiku behind the community center where more and more people are starting to play. We honor basketball players and need permantly marked lines for the protable nets we put up to play pickleball. thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Ease Oldham
Starting in August of 2021, my family, friends and I have started playing pickle ball at the Lahaina tennis courts, next to the Lahaina Civic Center. We have had a great time getting out in the fresh air and meeting new people. The only downfall to playing pickle ball at that location is the limited amount of courts. As you know one (1) of the tennis courts was reconfigured to fit four (4) pickle ball courts within that space. During the morning from about 7 a.m. to about 10 a.m., and then again in the afternoon from about 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., many people utilize the pickle ball courts. The ages range from about 5 years to 80 years old. It is extremely rare to not see a bunch of people waiting for a court to open up, so they can play a game. While at the same time there are seven (7) additional tennis courts that most of the time are empty. I work in that area, so I pass by the courts multiple times a day. At times there are one(1) or two (2) tennis courts being utilized throughout the day. There is a large demand for more pickle ball courts. One (1) more tennis court converted to four (4) pickle ball courts would greatly benefit the Lahaina community. Pickle ball has gotten people off of their couches and out exercising. The courts have done exactly what they were designed to do.
Strongly support Pickle Ball for our community. Especially in the Lahaina courts where a huge increase of people from all over have gathered. Such a wonderful place for all ages to gather and be active during these challenging times. My kids, grandkids, and friends enjoy playing pickle ball. The only complaint I've heard is that there are not enough courts to play on since so many people drive to Lahaina to play. Let's increase the outdoor activity and encourage our community to stay active.
I support the building of new dedicated Pickleball courts as well as repair of current Pickleball courts such as those in Kihei, where cracks present a chance for significant injury of players. I also urge you to facilitate an attitude of cooperation between all stakeholders to make the courts situation work for everyone.
While some seem to focus on small things such as a piece of tape on a court, we need to continue to focus on the the bigger picture. The number of Pickleball players, both local and tourists, has grown exponentially on Maui. On Tuesdays in Kula, for example, all four courts are busy and there are usually 12 - 16 people waiting. Pickleball courts have the unique advantage of serving large numbers of both locals and tourists, allowing us to benefit from serving both groups. Pickleball players become proficient quickly, equipment is easy to carry and the intergenerational nature (I am 62 and it is something my 22-year-old godson and I can enjoy together) makes it a sport to enjoy at home or while on vacation.
I appreciate the time and financial commitment needed to build new courts, but Pickleball will continue to grow in popularity because, unlike many other sports, it provides physical and social benefits to all ages. Until courts can be built, it is important to establish policies that encourage the cooperation of all stakeholders to find solutions for everyone to use the courts as long as they are respectful and maintain themas if they were their own. They are a public resource, supported by our tax dollars, and shouldn't be seen as the "property" of one group. It is also important, as we move forward, that all stakeholders (including the county) recognize that none of the groups can hold everyone who plays that sport accountable. A badly behaved tennis or Pickleball player does not mean that either group is inherently bad and shouldn't be used to condemn the group as a whole.
As a kupuna, newly diagnosed with diabetes, I recognize the value of exercise and need facilities in my community that help me improve my health. In the long run, it can reduce cost and burden on our community. I also continue to support resources that benefit others, even if they don't benefit me. That is what being part of a community is all about!
As you move forward, I encourage you to continue to seek input from the Pickleball community. Mahalo.
I support the building of new dedicated Pickleball courts as well as repair of current Pickleball courts such as those in Kihei, where cracks present a chance for significant injury of players. I also urge you to facilitate an attitude of cooperation between all stakeholders to make the courts situation work for everyone.
While some seem to focus on small things such as a piece of tape on a court, we need to continue to focus on the the bigger picture. The number of Pickleball players, both local and tourists, has grown exponentially on Maui. On Tuesdays in Kula, for example, all four courts are busy and there are usually 12 - 16 people waiting. Pickleball courts have the unique advantage of serving large numbers of both locals and tourists, allowing us to benefit from serving both groups. Pickleball players become proficient quickly, equipment is easy to carry and the intergenerational nature (I am 62 and it is something my 22-year-old godson and I can enjoy together) makes it a sport to enjoy at home or while on vacation.
I appreciate the time and financial commitment needed to build new courts, but Pickleball will continue to grow in popularity because, unlike many other sports, it provides physical and social benefits to all ages. Until courts can be built, it is important to establish policies that encourage the cooperation of all stakeholders to find solutions for everyone to use the courts as long as they are respectful and maintain themas if they were their own. They are a public resource, supported by our tax dollars, and shouldn't be seen as the "property" of one group. It is also important, as we move forward, that all stakeholders (including the county) recognize that none of the groups can hold everyone who plays that sport accountable. A badly behaved tennis or Pickleball player does not mean that either group is inherently bad and shouldn't be used to condemn the group as a whole.
As a kupuna, newly diagnosed with diabetes, I recognize the value of exercise and need facilities in my community that help me improve my health. In the long run, it can reduce cost and burden on our community. I also continue to support resources that benefit others, even if they don't benefit me. That is what being part of a community is all about!
As you move forward, I encourage you to continue to seek input from the Pickleball community. Mahalo.
Aloha and thank you for the opportunity to share some observations regarding the explosive growth of Pickleball on Maui. My name is Greg Smith. I am one of the Maui Pickleball Ambassadors. Our goal is to increase the awareness of the public about this great game with a crazy name. If money was no object, I would urge the county to build a suite of new Pickleball Courts. As am example, Naples, FL. has a population of 21,812 and has 87 Public Pickleball courts. The Mexican town of Los Barriles in Mexico has a population of less than 5000 people and they have 10 premium courts. The list goes on. Thanks to Kihei resident Sam Martone, the Kihei Waipuilani courts during the first 18 days of October, between 8:00AM and Noon, recorded 758 Pickleball players and 38 tennis players. That is not an uncommon ratio. We're all getting older. Pickleball is played on a court 1/3 the size of a tennis court and is much easier on the knees, hips, ankles, shoulders etc. It's a great way for seniors to get some exercise and have FUN while doing so. It is a very social sport as well as one offering exercise.
One final thought. I am quite sure, you will get plenty of "we need more pickleball requests from across the island " but I would like to add one suggestion. In 2019, the county had approved and budgeted $40,000.00 for new courts right outside of the Eddie Tam Gymnasium. When we ambassadors learned of this from Billy Amoral (East Maui Manager), we strongly cautioned both he and Director Peters to avoid an expenditure of the county's precious funds to build Pickleball courts anywhere that would be exposed to the trade winds that blow 80% of the time. Billy shared with us that in an earlier attempt to block the wind that was impacting the one tennis court that is already at Eddie Tam, a wind screen was put in place. The trade winds blew down the wind screen AND the fence that held it up- twice. Building Pickleball courts there would have been a waste of county funds and would not have contributed to the Pickleball court shortage because the proposed courts would have been unusable due to the wind sensitive dynamics of the pickleball that is essentially a wiffleball.
All of this is to say, that a fiscally sound (low cost) first step would be to paint the Pickleball lines on a number of the tennis courts so they become dual use public facilities (the Pickleball community will bring their own portable nets), This would be a low cost way to relieve the need for more pickleball venues that would be a great first step until you are able to fund some new Pickleball court construction please.
When you do, please include a review with some experienced Pickleball players to assist you with the layout and a wind analysis of any proposed sites. I am sure you would agree that a phone call and quick inspection could save thousands of dollars and avoid a replay of the Eddie Tam wind screen event. By the way, this solution has been in place at the War Memorial Tennis courts for a year and half without causing the sky to fall. Due to the dimensions of the Pickleball court vs. a tennis court the dual use lines do not interfere with the tennis play.
Thank you for your consideration and thanks to Karla Peters, Mary, Angus, Jason and staff who do so much with limited funding.
PS. One note in response to a comment that the tennis courts are “ONLY” for tennis, I would like to make mention that these are PUBLIC courts that were built with taxpayer’s dollars. And the pickleball players also pay taxes. Thank you. To not be open to sharing the facilities just does not resonate with the Aloha Spirit that makes Hawaii such a unique and wonderful place to live.
All the best,
Greg Smith 808 -633-6764
Aloha Committee-members. My name is Debbie Brint-Woessner, and I’m a Haiku resident. I’ve played pickleball regularly for about 2.5 years at Haiku Fieldhouse, the War Memorial courts and before it closed, Eddie Tam Gym. No need to debate the merits of exercise, but pickleball is fun and healthy and enjoyed by people of all ages. As you know, the sport’s popularity is growing exponentially across the country. It’s imperative that Maui County recognize that fact, and act now to help ease overcrowding on our courts.
I wholeheartedly support using my tax dollars to build dedicated pickleball courts. Since the court is smaller, pickleball takes up less space than a tennis court. Until that happens, I would like to see underutilized tennis courts upgraded and restriped with permanent lines to accommodate pickleball. Currently the pickleball community often must use tape or chalk to mark the courts, as well as provide their own nets. I also support creating specific times when existing courts are reserved for one sport or the other. Tennis and pickleball can co-exist. Mahalo for your consideration.
Let’s get this done people. More dedicated Pickelball Court’s in Kula. It’s a shame we are always having to put down tape to play a game that the county lacks any interest to fix.
Aloha Council Members, My husband and I became Kihei residents just prior to the pandemic and we were condo owners and frequent visitors for 10 years prior to that. My husband plays tennis 3-4 time weekly and I play Pickleball at Waipulani park 3-4 times a week. Every day I am able to play Pickleball at Waipulani park I feel so blessed to be able to enjoy this fun, healthy sport in such an amazing spot, with its awesome views and weather. We very much appreciate the new porta-potty at the sight, Mahalo for that! It is appreciated that we have 4 permanent pickleball courts with nets and lines, but the court surfaces are badly in need of repair and given number of players, the number of courts is insufficient, even during off-peak times and the problem is exponentially worse during peak tourist season. To minimize wait times, we have privately purchased equipment including 3 portable nets, balls, etc. to add 3 more courts. Even with these additional 3 courts, a sign up board is still required and there is typically a wait time, particularly during peak season when we can have up to 20-40 people waiting to play. The most annoying part of the above situation is that we have been prohibited from storing the above equipment (portable nets, balls etc.) in a locked up storage bin on the property. This means that a dedicated group of players have to DAILY bring this equipment to the courts in a cart, set up the nets and then take them down and haul them away and store them at a private residence at the end of play each day!! We have a sturdy locker and locks which were purchased to allow us to securely and safely store the equipment on site to avoid this unnecessary hassle, but the county told us we cannot do so and has threatened removal. The bottom line is that Pickleball is a fun sport which is growing exponentially and is a great way to encourage exercise and community involvement, but the existing facilities to support this sport in Kihei are currently insufficient to meet existing demand, never mind support future growth. We are very appreciative and grateful that the council is discussing this matter and trying to develop a plan to meet the community needs.
Dear Maui County,
I am writing this testimony in support of expanding the sport of Pickleball on Maui, as it is a fun, easy to learn sport for all ages and backgrounds. In the past few years, there has been an explosion of interest in the sport! My Pickleball friends and I ask that you please build dedicated Pickleball courts in Wailuku, Haiku, Kihei, and Lahaina. We ask that they are built with roofs and one wall, modeled after the Haiku Field house. We also ask that Pickleball leagues be created, similar to tennis leagues! We know these requests make take time, so in the interim we ask that you at least give us permission to paint Pickleball lines on the upper tennis courts at War Memorial and at the Field house in Haiku. We also ask that you give us permission to purchase trunks with locks to be left at the upper courts at War Memorial and the Haiku Field House to store Pickleball nets in, just as you gave permission for people to do this at the Waipuilani Courts in Kihei. We also want you to know that we are not trying to take courts away from tennis or basketball players. As my Pickleball friends can attest to, there are rarely more than 4 people playing tennis at the War Memorial courts on any given night. In fact, this past week, the lower tennis court was empty by at least 6pm on two of the nights we were there. Also let it be noted that there are many Pickleball players who also play tennis!! As far as basketball goes at the Haiku Field House, we rarely run into basketball players on Saturday mornings. Please Maui County council members, help grow this sport and come in and join the fun!! Finally, can someone please put new light bulbs in the bathrooms at War Memorial tennis courts, and can there be lamps lighting the way on the sidewalk from the courts to the parking lot? These are safety issues and I get very scared going to the bathroom or my car at night in the dark. I would not like to see the county sued either. Aloha!!!!
Margi Calder
808-283-9835
margi@hawaii.edu