Editor:
Re: “Wrong place for pickleball,” May 5 letters
In his recent letter to the editor, Brian Lauder expresses a substantial concern that strongly resonates with me and many other community members regarding the location of pickleball courts in Crescent Park and the impending negative impact on the park’s environment.
Pickleball is as noisy as it is popular. And the sounds of this particular racket ball game do travel.
As our own community off 128 Avenue has discovered, the level of noise this game produces is both intrusive and intolerable.
The decision of Surrey mayor and council to locate 12 new pickleball courts in Crescent Park is wrong and reflective of poor planning and a lack of vision.
Crescent Park is unique. As Lauder points out, its size and integrity, un-dissected by roads (unlike many other Surrey parks), the absence of traffic sounds, is rare and invaluable.
The park is an environment that takes many decades to establish.
A natural habit for wildlife, this park provides solace, peaceful ambiance, natural sounds and beauty. There is no comparison between the laying out of a court vs. the growing of trees and the establishment of a park’s ecosystem.
There are alternative sites in this community for the establishment of courts and other play activities. Crescent Park already accommodates the sports activities of softball and cricket.
We also need to consider this space and the needs of other community members who value and rely upon quieter relaxing activities, including walking, running, family strolls and picnics.
As urban growth continues to increase so does our need for the quietude and solace of natural surroundings.
The peaceful nature of Crescent Park – without further disturbances – is worth preserving.
Ruth Bull, Surrey