Seattle Proposal Could Remove 30+ Pickleball Courts, Players Push Back

A new proposal from Seattle Parks and Recreation could eliminate more than 30 pickleball courts across the city, sparking backlash from local players and associations.

During the pandemic, the department added pickleball lines to existing tennis courts, creating shared-use spaces that helped fuel the sport’s rapid growth.

Now, under a draft “Racquet Sports Strategy,” the city is proposing to remove many of those lines and more clearly separate tennis and pickleball facilities, reports Komo News.

If approved, the plan would reduce Seattle’s pickleball courts from 92 to 56, with seven neighborhoods losing a combined 36 courts as soon as June. Tennis courts would remain largely intact, with 107 courts preserved.

Players say those shared courts have become essential community hubs.

“This is all about community,” said Tony Pisa of the Seattle Metro Pickleball Association.

Others emphasized the broader impact of the sport. “You want to be healthy, you want to be active, and you want to be social… that’s what pickleball is to me,” said player Amy Nelson.

At courts like High Point in West Seattle, players question the logic behind the cuts given the high daily usage.

City officials say the strategy is meant to balance demand between tennis and pickleball, and additional pickleball courts will be built in other locations across the city.

Players argue that will take time and it shouldn’t be framed as a competition. “It's not a pickleball versus tennis, it's a pickleball and tennis,” Pisa said.

A petition being pushed by SMPA opposing the plan has reportedly already gathered 2,000 signatures.

According to SMPA's website, the below locations could be impacted by the proposal.

"Our official State sport, Pickleball unites neighbors, families, people of all ages, and newcomers of all backgrounds—fostering friendships and fitness in our parks and on our courts," SMPA's petition states.

Yet Seattle Parks' draft Outdoor Racquet Sports Strategy plans to eliminate 36 outdoor courts citywide, slashing access as early as June 2026.

As part of the petition, SMPA is asking Seattle Parks to:

• Preserve existing pickleball access on these 36 dual‑use courts until the new pickleball courts are built.
• Study alternatives that expand access for both tennis and pickleball players, rather than reducing court availability.
• Ensure that new plans support the equity, inclusion, and community‑building that is part of the game of pickleball in Seattle’s parks.

Below is a brief news story from Komo News on the proposed pickleball courts cuts in Seattle:

Image source.