Charleston City Council on Tuesday deferred a proposal to build four new pickleball courts at Parkshore Park in West Ashley after hearing complaints from neighbors. The measure will be taken up again at the next council meeting on Oct. 13.
The biggest worry: noise. (Ping-ping.)
Pickleball courts are notoriously loud and obnoxious to those who aren’t involved in the sport, people said at Tuesday night’s city council meeting. And while the pickleball community may enjoy more courts, others would be left on the sidelines.
District 3 Council member Jim McBride commented on a new sport rising in local popularity that makes less noise — padel, which the City Paper recently profiled.
“The pickleball community will want to impeach me for saying this, but padel courts are much quieter, the ball is quieter and it’s built with plexiglass walls to keep all that sound in,” he said. “And I think it’s a lot more fun.”
The proposed pickleball court project also called for demolishing some existing park amenities to make way for construction. It is not yet clear which amenities could see the ax.
Council members have about 30 days to decide whether to accept a contract for the project. Rebidding later could result in higher costs. In the meantime, council members said they planned to host community meetings to discuss potential noise mitigation plans with the neighborhood and hear other concerns.
To find a court, West Ashley residents have to make the five-to-10 minute drive to Lenevar playground, a small area tucked in a neighborhood between Old Towne and Ashley Hall roads.
The Parkshore project is estimated to cost about $400,000. Approval of the contract would immediately obligate the city to $255,956. The cash would come from the city’s general reserve fund.
City to take over more pothole repairs
Charleston Mayor William Cogswell announced Sept. 16 that the city intends to sign an intergovernmental agreement with the S.C. Department of Transportation (SCDOT) to allow the city expanded authority to repair state-owned roads.
“It all comes down to the same goal: making our roads work better for the people who use them every day,” Cogswell said. “We’re cutting through red tape with our state and regional partners to get it done.”
The announcement came at the first of five planned State of the City addresses, which city officials are visiting neighborhoods across the city through mid-November. Last week’s address was at West Ashley High School. Future stops include James Island, Johns Island, Daniel Island and the peninsula.
Charleston’s roads are a patchwork owned by the city, county and state. Responsibility for upkeep has long been a thorn in city leaders’ plans to maintain public infrastructure. About half the roads in the city, including some of its most-used corridors, are owned and maintained by the state, which has prevented city crews from conducting regular and timely maintenance.
With the new agreement, the city will be able to fix between 20 and 30 potholes per day, Cogswell said. The repairs will additionally be made possible by adding a second repair crew and truck dedicated to the work, funded by $2 million in excess revenue from increased hotel and business license fees.
The city is also planning to launch a dedicated pothole hotline in early 2027, Cogswell said. The hotline will give residents a direct line to report potholes for repair.
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