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.
The tort claim from Patrick Dougherty and Kathleen Romito, both of Boise, also alleged that the noise of paddles smacking the pickleballs was a “continuous, random auditory assault.”
Dougherty and Romito insisted on a court injunction to shut down the courts, plus $1.6 million for what they said was mental distress. Instead of providing a defense to a lawsuit the City of Boise agreed to shut down not only the pickleball courts at Willow Lane, but also the pickleball courts at Manitou Park in southeast Boise.
“After reviewing the facts related to the Willow Lane Park litigation, Boise Parks and Recreation assessed other pickleball facilities and determined that Manitou Park Park is no longer a suitable site for pickleball,” read a City of Boise statement. “The decision has not been made lightly and is based on a variety of factors including but not limited to the ambient noise level in these areas, the number of courts at each facility, the noise emanating from those courts, the courts use patters, and the proximity of the courts to homes.”
City of Boise officials said, beginning Tuesday, September 5, they’ll shut down the pickleball courts at Willow Lane and Manitou parks, and then transitioning them back to tennis courts.
On Friday, August 29, Chris Sallas and a few other pickleballers were getting in what would be some of their last matches at Manitou Park.
“We want the city to acknowledge it’s a popular sport,” said Sallas. “The big thing is that we all love this. It’s sad.”
Sallas added that the city hadn't been overly anxious to provide more pickleball opportunities.
“There have been no alternatives discussed,” he said. “There’s got to be alternatives. When you look around, you see seniors that have camaraderie. And middle agers getting activity. So here we are. We just want alternatives.”
But the city, in its statement, said, “Settling this lawsuit allows Boise’s Parks and Recreation Department to focus on its mission of enhancing the quality of life for Boise residents by providing and maintaining accessible, safe and vibrant open spaces and recreational facilities.”
Find reporter George Prentice @georgepren
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