City’s proposed ‘racquet-sports strategy,’ separating tennis and pickleball sites, to be discussed at Alki Community Council meeting

| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

As we first reported last Monday, Seattle Parks is circulating a “draft racquet-sports strategy” that would split up tennis and pickleball sites, with an initial reduction in the number of outdoor courts for pickleball. It’s launching a round of feedback starting with a survey opening Thursday, and including community meetings. None of those meetings are planned for West Seattle. But this Thursday, the racquet-sports strategy on the agenda for the Alki Community Council meeting, since the courts on the north side of Alki Playfield are involved, proposed as tennis-only. The ACC meets in-person-only at 7 pm at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) on Thursday (April 16) and the agenda also includes other Parks issues as well as public-safety updates.

Seth April 13, 2026 (1:23 pm)

Having high point be tennis is criminal. Also as a side note. I have never in 8 years of living in west seattle seen anyone actually playing tennis. I have however seen hundreds of people playing pickleball.

Alki Resident April 13, 2026 (4:01 pm)

Regarding the Alki courts, same here, Seth. 30+ yrs on Alki and I can probably count on my hands how many times I have seen tennis players using the court, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen both courts in use for tennis at the same time. There are more people playing pickleball in one day than I’ve ever seen play tennis on those courts. But I’d wager a pretty penny their complaint is about the noise (especially after seeing the ACC’s reason on the agenda), which is also silly to me. 1) It’s a park with baseball, soccer, basketball, summer camps, etc. It’s a noisy place even without pickleball. 2) Alki is already noise-polluted in the summer from beach activities. Bikers, volleyball, music, parties, all going late into the night (later than is legal even). 3) My opinion, but I can hear both Alki Park and Bar S from my house, and it’s really not that bad. Outside is going to have noises, people should try to insulate their house from the sounds, not ask everyone outside to be quiet (up to a limit of course, which is already legally defined, and this limit isn’t broken by pickleball sounds). If pickleball is so noisy, shouldn’t it be put in a place that’s already noisy? These pickleball haters don’t want tennis, they just want no pickleballers. Well too bad, maybe I’ll be the Racquet Rascal and will just bring my own pickleball net to Alki, I’m sure the police will pull me off that court in a heartbeat. Right after they get all of those offleash dog owners that leave poop on Alki field.

Dysfunction April 13, 2026 (4:57 pm)

How about making Lincoln Park tennis only. You know, the cement slab that was built for tennis 50 years ago and that the city has been using for various staging purposes of equipment and supplies. Since the pearl clutching environmentalists cried loud enough to stop them from becoming pickleball due to laughable noise concerns, they can’t have a issue with tennis noise or playing what was played there for a long time. Also with a reminder that Lincoln Park is a urban park and not some protected wildlife refuge. No way should High Point become tennis only

Amy G April 13, 2026 (11:55 pm)

Pickleball players make Alki safer! There are so many empty tennis courts, SPR can’t even keep track. The Racquet Sports Strategy left out the tennis courts at Hiawatha (3) and Riverview Park (2). The plan will cut 36 pickleball courts throughout the city, with 8 of them in West Seattle. Seattle Metro Pickleball Association will be publishing an online petition tomorrow. We’ll inform West Seattle Blog and also post on social media. JOIN US IN THE FIGHT!https://seattlemetropickleball.com/

Tristan Heberlein April 14, 2026 (9:11 am)

If you go out on any given good weather day you will witness many empty tennis courts, and extremely overcrowded pickleball courts. Whatever data they used to make these decisions, I’m curious to see it. Even the most casual observer can see that the actual ratio of players between pickleball and tennis is about 30:1, or 50:1. I like that the plan involves removing the dual use strategy, yet there really needs to be much more pickleball, and much less tennis. Seems the city likes seeing empty tennis courts.

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