Boise tennis and pickleball communities have not historically seen eye to eye.
In 2025, the City of Boise backtracked, returning some pickleball courts in Northwest Boise back to tennis courts. That all came in the wake of a lawsuit from a couple who complained about what they said was “relentless” noise from pickleballers. This is how we reported it on Aug. 29, 2025:
"What started as a neighbor’s complaint about 'vulgar and offensive language' from some late night pickleballers at the Willow Lane Athletic Complex - triggering a $1.6 million tort claim - has ended with the City of Boise telling pickleballers to vamoose from Manitou and Willow Lane parks."
But despite turf wars and occasional legal skirmishes popping up in Boise and many other communities across the U.S., Boise Parks and Recreation Department officials say pickleball’s popularity continues to grow in Boise.
They say they’ve tried a hybrid approach, allowing some courts to have alternating dedicated times for tennis or pickleball – an everybody-gets-to-play solution.
“But that was not the case at all,” said Boise Rec Superintendent Rosanne Brown. “We definitely got the message from pickleball groups is that they want ‘dedicated’ pickleball courts.”
There are currently 88 racket courts in Boise – most are for tennis and 14 (or 20%) are dedicated solely to pickleball.
Parks and Rec’s proposal would convert nearly 30 courts into pickleball-only spots in Owyhee, Molenaar and Alta Harris Parks, plus the Optimist Sports Complex. If all proposals go through 48% of all courts in Boise could become pickleball only.
Find reporter George Prentice @georgepren
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