The continued popularity of pickleball has the Glenview Park District looking to add additional outdoor courts to one of its north side parks.
The Glenview Village Board on Oct. 21 voted to approve a conditional use permit and final site plan review for four new pickleball courts at the northwest corner of Thomas J. Richardson Park, 1950 Westleigh Dr., south of Willow Road.
The park district’s proposal calls for the courts, described as a “modest size” and “intended for neighborhood use,” to be constructed on what is now an open field. A shade structure, picnic tables, benches, fencing and bicycle racks are also proposed for the area. Acoustic panels will be installed on the east and south side of the courts “to further mitigate any noise issues,” Jeff Brady, director of community development for the village, told the Glenview Village Board on Oct. 7.
A sound study that was performed projected that noise from the courts will not be excessive, Brady said. The courts will not be lit, according to the village, so play will be unable to occur after dark.
Richardson Park is currently home to two tennis courts that have been lined for pickleball play since 2018.
Cost of the project has not yet been shared. The park district is securing bids for the four new courts, and the construction must still be voted on by its board, Ken Wexler, director of planning for the Glenview Park District, told Pioneer Press.
In November 2024, the park district held a public meeting to gauge interest and feedback in a pickleball court design concept for Richardson Park.
For residents of the Heatherfield subdivision adjacent to Richardson Park, pickleball has become an activity that connects neighbors and has “growing appeal,” said Mike Lee, vice president of the Heatherfield Attached Association, a homeowners association representing the community.
Currently, 17 residents play at least once a week on Richardson Park’s tennis courts, Lee said.
“Having four new dedicated pickleball courts walking distance from our homes is a blessing we eagerly anticipate,” he said.
There are 21 outdoor pickleball courts across Glenview parks, with 10 of them dedicated only to pickleball and 11 used for both tennis and pickleball. Six indoor courts are available in the main gym at Park Center.
During a Sept. 24 meeting of the Glenview Development Commission, one resident living near the park objected to the proposal, expressing concern about noise from the court surface. Another nearby resident suggested limiting the hours that pickleball can be played on the new courts.
Another nearby resident noted several concerns in an email that was shared with the Village Board. These concerns included parking, “destruction of open park district land,” and lack of evidence that the current courts cannot meet demand for pickleball play.
Glenview Trustee Mary Cooper on Oct. 7 acknowledged the need for additional pickleball courts in town, but questioned whether there is adequate parking at Richardson Park, particularly if competitive matches are played.
“My concern is that we might run out of parking there, depending on how many people show up,” she said.
Brady stated the existing 44 parking spaces at the park were “found to be sufficient” based on a parking study that was performed. Should all of these spaces be utilized, spillover parking would be available on Westleigh Drive, he said.
The courts are intended for neighborhood use and not for championship play, Wexler said during the Glenview Development Commission meeting.
