The aging tennis courts at the Aspen Rec Center swatted aside the more popular pickleball; seven new courts coming

The attack was already underway.

So far, four pickleball courts are crammed into the footprint of one tennis court, and they’re not even regulation size. The current tennis courts are designated for pickleball.

It changes. Soon, there will be seven new pickleball fields to try to quench the thirst for a sport that is really popping. And one real, solitary tennis court on site.

The Aspen Parks & Recreation Department hosted an open house Wednesday morning to showcase the upcoming renovation of the Isel Pickleball and Tennis Courts. Behold, the P before the fading T.

City staff met with community members over the past year and a half to discuss the area’s needs and future. Pickleball won, big time.

It is one of the fastest growing sports in America, and the pandemic brought the sport even more attention with its non-contact play. The game combines table tennis, badminton and tennis. Some consider it lazy tennis or a hobby, but the young professional leagues suggest otherwise.

Aspen already has its own chapter in the USA Pickleball Association, and there are other courts throughout the Roaring Fork Valley.

“The new plans have reached final permit-level drawings and final construction documentation will follow,” said Emily Ford, communications coordinator for the city.

In addition to the new pickleball courts, a new indoor/outdoor pavilion is planned in the middle of the courts.

“Our goal was to really rethink this, how to maximize the site and how to take advantage of the good aspects of the site,” said Michael Tunte, the city’s landscape architect and construction manager.

“We have a wonderful view. We have trees. This area has very good access routes and public transport,” he said. “We incorporated a central gathering place with shaded seating; Cucumberball and tennis are quite social sports by nature.

“What we’ve always seen and what we’ve heard from the pickle community is that they love to play the game as much as they love to see their friends and interact. It was important to us to think of a central gathering place where people can hang out, meet their friends, tile for the next game and just get all our gear ready “, he said.

Pickleball is not as quiet as tennis. The oversized ping pong ball makes a popping sound when hit. It can be quite a chore. So much so, Denver recently removed pickleball courts from the city’s most important park and scrapped plans to build more around the city due to noise ordinances. The City of Centennial recently placed a six-month moratorium on all new outdoor pickleball courts.

The sound of a ball hitting a paddle ball has been measured at 70 decibels in some residential areas near the courts in Denver. City ordinance only allows 55 decibels.

On the recreation center, Tunte said, “There are no immediate neighbors nearby, and the site is located between the street and the river. There’s a strap on the sides of the back that really helps with sound deadening more than anything else.”

In short, noise is not a factor. Pickleballers can let it rip or pop.

The schedule for completion depends on the speed of processing permits, approval by the city council and everything else.