SINGAPORE: At least four town councils are putting restrictions on pickleball games, including limiting access to community hard courts and locking the gates, after residents lodged complaints over the racket.
This comes as the sport – which combines aspects of badminton, tennis and table tennis – has surged in popularity in recent years.
In August alone, noise complaints were reported at Sengkang, Marine Parade-Braddell Heights and East Coast Town Councils. People have been found playing pickleball in the early hours of the morning and late into the night.
Ang Mo Kio Town Council also said in a Facebook post that it has received feedback about “prolonged noise and court congestion, especially late at night”.
Banners have been put up in certain hard courts to remind players to lower their volume, and courts with gates will be locked at 9pm.
At a multipurpose court in Mountbatten, which falls under Marine Parade-Braddell Heights Town Council, CNA came across a sign informing players to restrict their games to between 9.30am and 10pm.
The area’s Member of Parliament Gho Sze Kee said while the move may disappoint some pickleball enthusiasts, balancing everyone’s needs is necessary as a community.
"I think it's very important that all of us get together and think about the community as a whole. (Prime Minister) Lawrence Wong talked about "we", and not "I". It's starkly clear here that we have to do that,” she told CNA.
“The fostering of the community spirit, the kampung spirit, goes a long, long way to resolve issues such as neighbourhood disputes.”
Ms Gho added that adjusting playing times for pickleball games in her estates was part of her to-do list in her first 100 days of being an MP, and that several players have told her they understand the new rules.
Some pickleball fans have called for more indoor courts to be built around neighbourhoods, so that everyone can have a peaceful time.
Ms Gho said the Katong and Mountbatten Community Centres are looking to open their indoor courts for pickleball players to use.
Enthusiasts also said early morning games are already part of their routine, and the restricted hours are not particularly conducive for those who can play only before or after work. Still, they added they are willing to adhere to tighter rules.
“I think it’s really fair. We have to compromise. There are neighbours around us and we love the game, so (there is) no point arguing and fighting about it. We just compromise and work the time,” said a player at Mountbatten who did not wish to be named.
She is part of a group of about 50 players, which grew from a handful of players who started coming together about four years ago.
They have switched from playing early in the morning to 9.30am.
A pickleball court in Singapore.
Experts also said playtime should be limited to reduce disturbance, given the challenges in controlling noise levels in high-rise environments like Singapore’s public housing estates.
High frequency sounds are emitted during pickleball games when a player hits the ball with their paddle, noted Associate Professor Lee Siew Eang from the National University of Singapore’s College of Design and Engineering.
“That is why people may find it more disturbing than a lower frequency sound, because our hearing is more sensitive to high frequency sounds,” he said.
“Sound travelling upward is a very natural thing, so even in a small court, if we have some barrier walls, it may not be absolutely effective because apartments two or three storeys high – they will still hear quite loudly and clearly,” he added.
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This comes as the sport – which combines aspects of badminton, tennis and table tennis – has surged in popularity in recent years.
In August alone, noise complaints were reported at Sengkang, Marine Parade-Braddell Heights and East Coast Town Councils. People have been found playing pickleball in the early hours of the morning and late into the night.
Ang Mo Kio Town Council also said in a Facebook post that it has received feedback about “prolonged noise and court congestion, especially late at night”.
Banners have been put up in certain hard courts to remind players to lower their volume, and courts with gates will be locked at 9pm.
At a multipurpose court in Mountbatten, which falls under Marine Parade-Braddell Heights Town Council, CNA came across a sign informing players to restrict their games to between 9.30am and 10pm.
The area’s Member of Parliament Gho Sze Kee said while the move may disappoint some pickleball enthusiasts, balancing everyone’s needs is necessary as a community.
"I think it's very important that all of us get together and think about the community as a whole. (Prime Minister) Lawrence Wong talked about "we", and not "I". It's starkly clear here that we have to do that,” she told CNA.
“The fostering of the community spirit, the kampung spirit, goes a long, long way to resolve issues such as neighbourhood disputes.”
Ms Gho added that adjusting playing times for pickleball games in her estates was part of her to-do list in her first 100 days of being an MP, and that several players have told her they understand the new rules.
MORE INDOOR COURTS?
Some pickleball fans have called for more indoor courts to be built around neighbourhoods, so that everyone can have a peaceful time.
Ms Gho said the Katong and Mountbatten Community Centres are looking to open their indoor courts for pickleball players to use.
Enthusiasts also said early morning games are already part of their routine, and the restricted hours are not particularly conducive for those who can play only before or after work. Still, they added they are willing to adhere to tighter rules.
“I think it’s really fair. We have to compromise. There are neighbours around us and we love the game, so (there is) no point arguing and fighting about it. We just compromise and work the time,” said a player at Mountbatten who did not wish to be named.
She is part of a group of about 50 players, which grew from a handful of players who started coming together about four years ago.
They have switched from playing early in the morning to 9.30am.
A pickleball court in Singapore.
Experts also said playtime should be limited to reduce disturbance, given the challenges in controlling noise levels in high-rise environments like Singapore’s public housing estates.
High frequency sounds are emitted during pickleball games when a player hits the ball with their paddle, noted Associate Professor Lee Siew Eang from the National University of Singapore’s College of Design and Engineering.
“That is why people may find it more disturbing than a lower frequency sound, because our hearing is more sensitive to high frequency sounds,” he said.
“Sound travelling upward is a very natural thing, so even in a small court, if we have some barrier walls, it may not be absolutely effective because apartments two or three storeys high – they will still hear quite loudly and clearly,” he added.
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