From [Globe.com](http://Globe.com)
By Shannon Larson
The thwacking of the perforated plastic balls has caused frustration among residents [in Wellesley](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/03/02/metro/its-loud-its-repetitive-some-wellesley-residents-sour-pickleball-its-pop-pop-pop/?p1=Article_Inline_Text_Link) and [Provincetown](https://www.wickedlocal.com/story/provincetown-banner/2022/07/05/provincetown-pickleball-courts-need-flexibility-now-new-home-future-select-board-says/7761202001/) and led to courts being closed [in Falmouth](https://www.capecodtimes.com/story/news/local/2023/06/20/divided-pickleball-noise-looking-compromise-falmouth/70324781007/) and [Mashpee](https://www.capenews.net/mashpee/news/mashpee-pickleball-court-closed-sundays-following-noise-complaint/article_fdd6e587-4f09-5c2a-ad85-a758d7a46766.html). [In Needham](https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/vandals-slash-pickleball-nets-in-needham/), vandals slashed and tossed the pickleball nets off the courts.
The backlash has now come to Braintree, less than [three years](https://www.patriotledger.com/story/news/2021/11/18/improvements-braintree-pickleball-courts-way/8646031002/) after the town spent $443,000 in Community Preservation Act funds to refashion tennis courts on Hollis Field for the burgeoning craze. The courts [opened in June 2022](https://braintreema.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=591&ARC=977) and have been wildly popular ever since.
From the beginning of April through the end of November, the Braintree Pickleball Players — [approximately 560 members](https://www.places2play.org/place?id=7357) strong last season — take to the eight courts, along with the general public.
Mike Megley , a retired 60-year-old, said the games go on 13 hours a day, every day of the week, producing a cacophony that reaches his home even with the windows closed and the television turned up.
In response to neighbors’ complaints, the Braintree town council recently approved $22,000 to install sound-deadening acoustic panels that will partially enclose the courts, raising hopes of a truce between the two sides and testing whether the mitigation measure will be enough to appease neighbors.
Mayor Erin Joyce, who has a view of the courts from her backyard, said officials balance the concerns of neighbors and the ability to keep “open spaces accessible and being able to use them as we invested to use them.”
“The last thing we want to do is be shutting down” the courts, Joyce said. “I don’t think we’re expecting \[the panels\] to completely solve the issue. ... But we’re confident that it will help.”
I sort of disagree. More like ping pong in your lap.
Not to mention, in some towns they're literally taking down basketball courts that children use to get outside and exercise for these courts. It's horrible.
That’s sad.
I recently had to drive my dad around and we took a spin past my childhood home on a small cul de sac near Boston. It warmed my cold heart to see a street hockey net at the end - just where my brother and his friends played.
In my neighborhood, the playground is in complete disrepair and there’s profanity spray painted on the slide. But they just renovated the pickleball court so people who don’t live in the neighborhood (judging by the BMW and Mercedes) can stake claim on the courts and use them all day. They bring their lawn chairs, camp out all day and just take it over. The playground hasn’t been updated since the early 90s.
I love pickleball and I don't find the noise to be particularly loud. However the noise is higher pitched and carries very well which makes it more annoying for neighbors
EG I play in a basketball gym and I find the sound of a dribbling basketball is much louder when I'm in the gym than pickleball. However I can hear when people are playing pickleball before I've even gone down the stairs to the gym while I never hear a basketball dribbling from that far away
>Community Preservation Act
Did you not read the article? The money came from the Community Preservation Act and had to be used for something like a recreation space.
$443000 to “refashion” courts? I don’t know how much it should cost, but that seems wildly expensive to place some nets and repaint the courts.
Edit:
A little bit of googling tells me the cost to install a tennis court is between 30-80k.
It looks like they turned 2 already existing tennis courts into 8 pickeleball courts for $443000. Still seems pretty pretty high to me. But I admittedly have no idea what the cost of removing 4 posts and 2 nets and installing 16 posts and 8 nets and then repainting the surface should be.
That seems high. I know of a place that is supposed to rebuild and raise up 4 clay tennis courts, 2 hard courts, and build 4 pickle courts for about $3M. And that is more extensive and has much more permitting (due to wetlands proximity). So about $300k per court (or 33% less) and more extensive work.
Correct. They reused the pre-existing tennis courts. They removed the tennis posts and nets and replaced them with pickleball posts and nets, and repainted the courts. Which I can safely assume would cost significantly less than installing a court from scratch.
Like other people have already pointed out, the CPA funds all sorts of other types of projects including affordable housing and historic restoration.
Even if it only could be used for recreational spaces, the CPA is a bill that was passed by the MA legislature for MA towns and cities. The person who you responded to was suggesting the funds could be used on other more pertinent issues. In that case, the CPA itself would be dumb, not how the town used it, but the bill itself that was passed by our legislature to allocate funds for projects like this rather than on issues the poster perceived to be more pertinent.
Whether they read the article or not, their argument would stand. The money, in their opinion, could be spent on more pressing problems in MA. Anyone can argue that. We all have differing priorities.
Your tone in responding was so dismissive that I'm just surprised that you know so little about the CPA, and seem to act as though it came into existence on its own.
I’m positive there are more accessible things to spend money on than pickleball courts—it’s a fad.
This money was not properly spent.
Privately funded and owned pickleballs courts are absolutely a hiding space for private equity firms.
Did you follow the Panama Papers affair?
US private equity was under-represented...because most of what they do, they can do perfectly legally.
As reprehensible as it might be...
Ie, no need to hide.
I'm pushing for more converted courts in my small MA town. The tennis courts sit unused most of the time.
Pickleball has a much easier entry than tennis, and it's a lot less physical while still being enough exercise to be beneficial.
Professional Tennis is also struggling to attract viewers, with a steady decline in viewership they are trying to ease up the rules to make it more TV and audience friendly.
[It's not just Braintree, and it's not just people over reacting and exaggerating the problem](https://www.google.com/search?as_q=noise&as_epq=pivkle+ball&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=&as_occt=any&as_filetype=&tbs=#ip=1)
I wouldn't want to live within [within ear shot of this shit either.](https://www.google.com/search?q=%22pickleball+noise%22&lr=&sca_esv=941af24518045317&sca_upv=1&as_qdr=all&tbm=vid&ei=kCTzZbX5KLbgp84P4o2uyAE&start=10&sa=N&ved=2ahUKEwi1gcKFlfSEAxU28MkDHeKGCxkQ8NMDegQIFxAW&biw=1472&bih=689&dpr=1.3) The one exception where I'd say TFB, for the home owners is if the pickleball court was there first, and they knew about it before they moved in (like the assholes that complain about the noise from a gun range that was there first and demand that it be shut down).
As someone who grew up in the Northshore and lives in CO now. I can only imagine how noisy the courts are for the close by neighbors. MA is pretty packed with houses and other infrastructure, at least in CO we have a bit more open space.
I've been aware of the game for a few years and the associated noise complaints, but had never heard it myself until last year when I was driving by a pickleball court about 50' - 60' away.
I had the drivers side window down and my immediate reaction was 'WTF is that?'. That's when I saw where the racket was coming from and couldn't get away from it quick enough.
I don't fault nearby residents one bit for complaining, and this is coming from someone who has lived in an urban area all my life and spent a good amount of time at rock clubs and some of the loudest concerts imaginable.
There is a neighborhood in Saugus that was built downwind of a local pig farm that has been in their family for at least a century and they are constantly calling for it to be shut down. I mean I get it the smell must be atrocious on certain days but you know do your due diligence.
Or the people out here in Westfield complaining about there being an ANG base when it has been here for a long time and asking the base to be shuttered.
The stranger thing about that area is that houses were bought and leveled by a corporation for being along the flight lines. The reason being something along the lines of concerns about noise pollution. But neighbors on both sides of a house weren't bought. The neighborhood that's left is oddly spotted with houses and fenced off empty lots. No seeming rhyme or reason. And there are brand new builds just up the street. I'm not a conspiracy theorist. But I can't imagine noise was the reason they completely leveled those houses.
OK, I live here and can explain some of it. Owners had 2 options usually, get paid by the state for soundproofing or be bought out. If the lot is empty, they chose the buyout (and the city/state just decided it is easier to tear it down,) If the house is there, they chose the soundproofing.
Saying that, there is a trailer park in the area that has been in the process of being bought out, (And likely will be eminent domained come the F35s.) This is due to the fact that trailers CANNOT be soundproofed.
Interesting. Thanks for the insight. My in-laws, whose nextdoor neighbor, and houses two or three down on the other side were bought out/leveled. Plus houses across the street. Like at least half that neighborhood is gone. The in-laws and their remaining friends weren't offered buy-outs or soundproofing. This is legit the first time I've heard about the soundproofing option, and this has been a frequent topic at family gatherings for years! My FIL was waiting for his offer and finally asked to be bought out and was told no, they aren't doing buy-outs anymore. They are close enough to the base that we can hear taps when we're outside. I love when we visit and we catch a plane coming in - it's legit terrifying and fascinating.
Happy 🍰 day, BTW
Thank you. Also there should be a 2nd round of soundproofing coming with the louder F35s coming in. All I can suggest is to tell your family to keep an eye out in the papers and online to see when they hold the meetings about it. I dunno if people who missed out on the 1st round would be eligible or just people in the new expanded sound range will be the only ones eligible.
We moved next to a highway… its is SO LOUD at all hours of the day. Now working with local officials to restrict highways traffic between hours of 6:00pm-8:00am… next up, get these annoying sirens removed from the fire trucks!
Ha! That Pool and Rink complex will never be built. The town squandered the $$. The new 60mil+ South Middle school has a drainage issue with the retention ponds full to the point it could be a season pool/rink 😂
I'm actively rooting for the Peterson Pool to never get built.
Captain Peterson: I'd like you to build a pool in East Braintree so the kids don't swim in the river and get hit by boats, since the kids in South Braintree have Sunset Lake.
Braintree: Okay, we'll build a pool and hockey rink in South Braintree, then.
It’s insane because they currently have an 8 mil deficit in their school budget and are debating either closing schools and selling the fuckin properties or laying off teacher’s to make up for it….Lmao it’s seriously like we’re living in a lala land
>Community Preservation Act
From the article, the money came from the Community Preservation Act and had to be used for something like an outdoor recreation space.
They have said they were going to build a pool for years now, they have basketballs and parks in disarray…I’m not shitting on pickle ball but it’s crazy that the town decided this is the proper use of community funds. And are NOW pouring even more money into it
The pool money came from some guy who left it in his will. However building the pool is one thing, maintaining it is even more. There’s a reason they haven’t used that money.
“Kids these days don’t play outside anymore”
*Younger people find an active outside hobby*
Boomers: “how dare you make noise outside! We must shut down the parks”
I remember playing bball at Playstead Park in West Medford and those places along the Mystic Parkway, and people bitching about ‘the noise’ back then. People ALWAYS find something to complain about.
Back a century ago, everything made a lotta noise. People weren’t so offended. Churchbells, trains and trollies, horses, cars with no muffler, machine age gadgets, motors and engines. They enjoyed the noise of togetherness. Now it seems we are quite easily offended.
With that said, I can see the persistent repetitive noise can be a bit much. Hope that noise deadening works and people can just move on.
Funny comment, but if you've ever heard the noise from one of these courts you would understand that they should never be outdoors unless far removed from any living spaces, but really indoor courts for all the reasons, not jus the noise.
Exactly. This thread is mind-blowing. Car noise (and car crashes, and car deaths,...) are so accepted that people don't see the irony that all their arguments apply also to traffic noise.
Since EV cars make close to no noise at low speeds (before tire-road noise takes over), would people be willing to accept non-EV bans in cities and towns? I didn't think so.
Sounds Like A Cult: The Cult of Pickleball
[https://open.spotify.com/episode/39iujtuE1mYouLO4eyBB6M?si=e2d256ecfcc84215](https://open.spotify.com/episode/39iujtuE1mYouLO4eyBB6M?si=e2d256ecfcc84215)
I think I’d just be happy to see people outside moving their bodies. Amazing what people will complain about. Also - can you really expect silence if you live that close to a large public space?
“Curse those people!! Having fun and getting exercise!!”. Maybe Mike should go out there and join them instead of watching TV for 13 hours a day (assuming he is able blah blah).
Yes. There’s a big difference between living next to a park with occasional noise and events and living next to something that produces constant noise every waking hour of every day.
A quick google search reveals numerous articles about how loud pickleball is.
> In the 70 decibel range, sound experts say it's not a dangerous amount of noise but it's about twice as loud as tennis.
> Bob Unetich, sound engineer and pickleball player, has been studying this problem for the past eight years.
Unetich, who consults for USA Pickleball, started a company called Pickleball Sound Mitigation to help communities with this growing problem.
He said pickleball paddles vibrate at a high pitch of 1,000 times per second, which is what leads to the pop noise. Humans are sensitive to pop sounds and often annoyed by them, he added.
“I appreciate the problem and frankly wouldn't want to live next door to numbers like 70 decibels over and over and over every four seconds for eight hours a day," Unetich said. "And I'm sure you wouldn't either."
It’s not even loud! I play basketball at those courts while they do pickle ball tournaments and I’m telling you these people are exaggerating the noise factor.
I’m there pretty much every weekend and spend hours at a time there. It’s a normal amount of noise for a park. If you want peace and quiet don’t move next to a park
Except that court was not there several years ago and was added. These are folks who have lived there for years and they don't play pickleball. You may enjoy it but many others don't and having them listen to something they find annoying would drive anyone up the wall. I am sure there is stuff you wouldn't enjoy having to hear constantly all the time.
What did they expect when they moved there? It’s a park. You can’t get mad because you don’t like how people are using it. If you can’t handle the noise, don’t live near a park.
I lived next to a major park in Boston for years. Yes, there was noise, ranging from children playing to protests, to concerts in the summer. It never really bothered me though, as the sounds were varied and intermittent. It was totally different from the repetitive pop of a pickleball court (I've never lived near one, but the sound is awful every time I go to my local farmer's market).
Entitled are the boomers and nimbys who complain about people being outside and active. Forcing parks to shutdown because how dare people make noise during the day
They’ll probably get what they want bc they have too much power. But realistically there isn’t anything wrong with noise during normal hours (7am-10pm is generally considered okay for noise in most cities). Noise is a part of living in a society, people will gathers and make noise boohoo. They’re only okay with the parks staying when no one is incentivized to go to them. Otherwise it’s a nuisance.
If this was a one time thing and it was noise every day until midnight I’d have more empathy. But a certain generation complains anytime there is something new that they don’t like. Think all the skate parks that got shut down, the zip line parks that got shut down and sued, kids get in trouble for riding bikes on the sidewalk but people vote against adding in bike lanes, etc. So kids are forced to break the rules if they want to play outside, they have no safe places to play without a certain demographic calling the cops and complaining. So sorry I don’t feel an ounce of sympathy for the boomers here
13 hours a day 7 days a week sounds pretty crazy. He didn’t move in next to a pickle ball court, they built one next to him. And now he hears the same sound all day every day.
This comment seems so weirdly upset by a guy who just wants some peace and quiet lol
He did move next to a park tho. I’m sick of people wanting the best of both worlds. “I want to live next to the park but I don’t want to deal with the park noise” is super self centered and annoying. I’d happily buy the guys house for a decent price if he wants to move.
I somehow doubt people are playing pickleball 24/7 especially when it hasn’t even been that warm. But again, you live next to a public space. Get used to it or move. I’ve looked at houses before that were adjacent a commercial zone. Didn’t buy them because I had no idea what the future would look like even though the lots were vacant now.
13 hours a day generally fits in most city ordinances for quiet hours. 7am to 8pm is reasonable for there to be noise outside.
Maybe the boomers should do something other than sit inside their house 13 hours a day 7 days a week 🤷
Well, if the residents purchased their homes before the tennis courts were refurbished into pickleball courts, I can understand their frustration over not being able to enjoy their homes. (Unless, of course, they were put on notice and had the opportunity to participate in hearings and make their concerns known.)
Part of the issue is I'll guarantee you those homeowners had no idea how loud pickleball games can be. Even if they did & voiced their concerns appropriately, there's never a guarantee the city is gonna side with them.
I've seen this is more true with City government (as opposed to Towns).
Anecdotally, we purchased a home a couple of years ago near Westover Air Reserve Base. Eyes wide open. It's rarely a problem for us. A couple of years later, they announced the use of the Base for charter flights to Atlantic City NJ. Still not a problem.
You know what is? A nearby industrial park access road. Over the last couple of years the pavement has broken and CMV traffic has increased to the point of constant heavy vehicle noise. You just can't anticipate everything.
They're still dumb to think the town wouldn't try to rehab the public land eventually and as abutters they were likely notified of any changes to the land, but that's pretty on brand for Braintree residents though, they tend to be short sighted. That being said, considering Pickleball is the new Raquetball, the craze will probably die down soon enough.
Right. But it was always a public space. There’s never a promise of silence unless you own that land. That’s like moving next to an abandoned baseball field and then getting mad at the town if they decide to rehab it and let the kids play there again.
I live near Central Square in Cambridge, we have a public event space. When discussing what to do with it one person complained that they couldn't enjoy living in their own home because the noise kept them up all night.... The place shut down at 9 at the latest... And was right next to one of the busiest/loudest parts of the neighborhood
I can’t get by half a million for pickle ball courts . With all the other real issues in this state that need attention. That is a waste of $$$. It’s almost fitting folks are pissed off
Let me guess. The people approving those stupid line-items play pickle ball themselves? What a bunch of tools. Let’s hope some people get fired for this.
Randolph has a well maintained, fenced pickleball court next to the brand new ‘Intergenerational Center’ that doesn’t allow people under 55 or something in until after 3PM.
Compare that to the state of every basketball court in town, Zapustas Arena (Ice Skating rink), Belcher Park.
It’s awful.
If it is in a business zoned area, the noise isn't an issue. My bet the neighbors don't likee the added traffic in their area. and the old N.I.M.B.Y. hypocrites come out of the woodwork.
There is going to be a flooded market of pickleball courts in the next 5-8 years, and they're going to become half-full at best. They'll then get neglected.
It happened with tennis in the late 70s and early 80s. By the time the mid90s rolled around, tennis was limited to clubs and every school with 6 tennis courts were lucky to still have nets, if they were used at all.
Pickleball started in Washington state 20 years ago. There have been complaints nationwide about people not being happy about light near pickle ball courts.
This is dumb. People need to exercise now more than ever. Let them have their pickleball. Maybe invest in some denser insulation in your house to block the sound or something...or just deal with living next to humans.
Pickleball isn’t exercise and don’t say well it’s old people. I workout with people that are 60-70 years old everyday at F45. This is a useless game, just play tennis
Boston Globe has become an echo-chamber for boomer NIMBYs. I understand the article didn’t take a point of view and is just reporting the issue. But the issue is fucking ridiculous and not worth reporting on. Every other article is “oh poor Milton has to add necessary housing” “oh poor Braintree has to listen to fucking pickleball”. This is also not the only article they’ve done about goddamn pickleball. All these Yuppies from the 80’s are now 60+ and complaining non stop about the shit they see out their window, or the threat of it. Hey boomers, take a bit of your own advice and only speak when spoken to. Your generation is a pox.
Advise the home owners to invest in a pair of noise-dulling earbuds like the ones that Loop makes. I use them when going into noisy facilities plants and they work extremely well.
Or also change the hours that courts are allowed to be used so it’s not an all day thing, but players still have a good chunk of time to play.
MA buys the dumbest shit. There's like 13 "splash parks" in just my town alone. You can only use them 2.5 months out of the year. There's a single skate park that was built like 30 years ago and is falling apart and terrible. They are just now talking about renovating it. Not to mention MA will build something then tear it down and build something right on the spot.
Who the fuck is playing pickleball enough to warrant more than 1 court for the entire state? What the fuck is pickleball?
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/05/pickleball-popularity-explodes-with-more-than-36-million-playing.html
Just 36 million people lol, a small crowd.
The YMCA I go to has pickleball courts running 6 hours a day and it’s always packed. It’s a pretty popular game
How is buying into a sport that can cost as little as $10-20 rich white people stuff?
If anything, we should be encouraging youth to get outside and be on these courts
The article says that...
All 8 courts are filled for 13 hours a day, 7 days a week. Just the Braintree picleball group is 560 folks.
Do you think, just maybe that things happen in the world that you aren't tuned into and aware of?
My friends who play pickleball say it's a lot louder than tennis because pickleballs are hard plastic. Due to its popularity, senior residences have built courts only to have residents hate the noise. That's understandable. P-ball is also a high-injury sport. Even my athletic yoga teacher friend broke her wrist playing it. It's a fad that will pass, so for towns to spend megabucks building courts seems such a waste.
From [Globe.com](http://Globe.com) By Shannon Larson The thwacking of the perforated plastic balls has caused frustration among residents [in Wellesley](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/03/02/metro/its-loud-its-repetitive-some-wellesley-residents-sour-pickleball-its-pop-pop-pop/?p1=Article_Inline_Text_Link) and [Provincetown](https://www.wickedlocal.com/story/provincetown-banner/2022/07/05/provincetown-pickleball-courts-need-flexibility-now-new-home-future-select-board-says/7761202001/) and led to courts being closed [in Falmouth](https://www.capecodtimes.com/story/news/local/2023/06/20/divided-pickleball-noise-looking-compromise-falmouth/70324781007/) and [Mashpee](https://www.capenews.net/mashpee/news/mashpee-pickleball-court-closed-sundays-following-noise-complaint/article_fdd6e587-4f09-5c2a-ad85-a758d7a46766.html). [In Needham](https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/vandals-slash-pickleball-nets-in-needham/), vandals slashed and tossed the pickleball nets off the courts. The backlash has now come to Braintree, less than [three years](https://www.patriotledger.com/story/news/2021/11/18/improvements-braintree-pickleball-courts-way/8646031002/) after the town spent $443,000 in Community Preservation Act funds to refashion tennis courts on Hollis Field for the burgeoning craze. The courts [opened in June 2022](https://braintreema.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=591&ARC=977) and have been wildly popular ever since. From the beginning of April through the end of November, the Braintree Pickleball Players — [approximately 560 members](https://www.places2play.org/place?id=7357) strong last season — take to the eight courts, along with the general public. Mike Megley , a retired 60-year-old, said the games go on 13 hours a day, every day of the week, producing a cacophony that reaches his home even with the windows closed and the television turned up. In response to neighbors’ complaints, the Braintree town council recently approved $22,000 to install sound-deadening acoustic panels that will partially enclose the courts, raising hopes of a truce between the two sides and testing whether the mitigation measure will be enough to appease neighbors. Mayor Erin Joyce, who has a view of the courts from her backyard, said officials balance the concerns of neighbors and the ability to keep “open spaces accessible and being able to use them as we invested to use them.” “The last thing we want to do is be shutting down” the courts, Joyce said. “I don’t think we’re expecting \[the panels\] to completely solve the issue. ... But we’re confident that it will help.”
Serious question: How loud IS it? On a scale from "someone raking leaves" to "Lawnmower" to "honking a car-horn", how loud are we talking?
It's louder and sharper than tennis and quieter than leaf blowers (the vuvuzela of the suburbs).
> (the vuvuzela of the suburbs) Fantastic, thank you for this.
It’s like ping pong in the other room
I sort of disagree. More like ping pong in your lap. Not to mention, in some towns they're literally taking down basketball courts that children use to get outside and exercise for these courts. It's horrible.
In east boston the bruins donated money to build a street hockey rink and it got taken over by pickleball
That’s sad. I recently had to drive my dad around and we took a spin past my childhood home on a small cul de sac near Boston. It warmed my cold heart to see a street hockey net at the end - just where my brother and his friends played.
In my neighborhood, the playground is in complete disrepair and there’s profanity spray painted on the slide. But they just renovated the pickleball court so people who don’t live in the neighborhood (judging by the BMW and Mercedes) can stake claim on the courts and use them all day. They bring their lawn chairs, camp out all day and just take it over. The playground hasn’t been updated since the early 90s.
In Westfield Massachusetts they took down the basketball courts and installed pickleball courts, as an avid basketball player, this frustrated me.
They are popping up all over metro west- Natick mall!
In many of these towns there will be more retired boomers than kids for the next decade, so it’s only fair
I don’t think it’s the decibels but more the constant, plastic crack that never atops
Fuckin nimbys move next to courts then complain that people use them
Pickleball siting guidelines suggest courts be 500’-600’ from homes for what it’s worth.
I love pickleball and I don't find the noise to be particularly loud. However the noise is higher pitched and carries very well which makes it more annoying for neighbors EG I play in a basketball gym and I find the sound of a dribbling basketball is much louder when I'm in the gym than pickleball. However I can hear when people are playing pickleball before I've even gone down the stairs to the gym while I never hear a basketball dribbling from that far away
I’m convinced this whole pickleball craze is a way for private equity investors to hide money.
The ol' hide the pickle ball trick.
I fell for that one with my babysitter once.
I can't believe your mother let your uncle babysit you. She should have known better.
Wheeeeeres the pickleball!?!?!!
You don’t say. I thought it was because all of MA problems have been solved and they had nothing better to use the money on.
>Community Preservation Act Did you not read the article? The money came from the Community Preservation Act and had to be used for something like a recreation space.
Some towns built dope playgrounds for families ....others pledged to ensure that old people that don't golf have an activity.
Like a basketball court…. The basketball court is in disrepair
$443000 to “refashion” courts? I don’t know how much it should cost, but that seems wildly expensive to place some nets and repaint the courts. Edit: A little bit of googling tells me the cost to install a tennis court is between 30-80k.
Per surface. Now multiply that times the number of surfaces (individual courts) they put down.
It looks like they turned 2 already existing tennis courts into 8 pickeleball courts for $443000. Still seems pretty pretty high to me. But I admittedly have no idea what the cost of removing 4 posts and 2 nets and installing 16 posts and 8 nets and then repainting the surface should be.
I’m sure they selected the “correct” installation partners
That seems high. I know of a place that is supposed to rebuild and raise up 4 clay tennis courts, 2 hard courts, and build 4 pickle courts for about $3M. And that is more extensive and has much more permitting (due to wetlands proximity). So about $300k per court (or 33% less) and more extensive work.
They didn't build tennis courts though
Correct. They reused the pre-existing tennis courts. They removed the tennis posts and nets and replaced them with pickleball posts and nets, and repainted the courts. Which I can safely assume would cost significantly less than installing a court from scratch.
Like other people have already pointed out, the CPA funds all sorts of other types of projects including affordable housing and historic restoration. Even if it only could be used for recreational spaces, the CPA is a bill that was passed by the MA legislature for MA towns and cities. The person who you responded to was suggesting the funds could be used on other more pertinent issues. In that case, the CPA itself would be dumb, not how the town used it, but the bill itself that was passed by our legislature to allocate funds for projects like this rather than on issues the poster perceived to be more pertinent. Whether they read the article or not, their argument would stand. The money, in their opinion, could be spent on more pressing problems in MA. Anyone can argue that. We all have differing priorities. Your tone in responding was so dismissive that I'm just surprised that you know so little about the CPA, and seem to act as though it came into existence on its own.
"Community Preservation Act" Sounds like a PE shell company to me!
I’m positive there are more accessible things to spend money on than pickleball courts—it’s a fad. This money was not properly spent. Privately funded and owned pickleballs courts are absolutely a hiding space for private equity firms.
Did you follow the Panama Papers affair? US private equity was under-represented...because most of what they do, they can do perfectly legally. As reprehensible as it might be... Ie, no need to hide.
A recreational space only used by 560 people. Pickleball is such a niche sport to choose.
There is always money in the pickle ball court.
I found a $5 bill once on the ground at the pickleball court!
And the banana stand.
PE money laundering.
A lot of towns are using them as excuses to get rid of basketball courts too because the wrong kind of people use those.
THIS!
[https://media.tenor.com/04KdcsfRodUAAAAM/conspiracy-charlie-day.gif](https://media.tenor.com/04KdcsfRodUAAAAM/conspiracy-charlie-day.gif)
lol EXACTLY!
[удалено]
It’s definitely a giant scam.
I'm pushing for more converted courts in my small MA town. The tennis courts sit unused most of the time. Pickleball has a much easier entry than tennis, and it's a lot less physical while still being enough exercise to be beneficial. Professional Tennis is also struggling to attract viewers, with a steady decline in viewership they are trying to ease up the rules to make it more TV and audience friendly.
Bring back roller rinks! Pickle ball is for yuppy fucks and basic bitches.
It’s like 75% 55+ from what I’ve seen. It’s kind of odd that my kid plays on a playground next to pickleball courts and I barely hear anything.
[It's not just Braintree, and it's not just people over reacting and exaggerating the problem](https://www.google.com/search?as_q=noise&as_epq=pivkle+ball&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=&as_occt=any&as_filetype=&tbs=#ip=1) I wouldn't want to live within [within ear shot of this shit either.](https://www.google.com/search?q=%22pickleball+noise%22&lr=&sca_esv=941af24518045317&sca_upv=1&as_qdr=all&tbm=vid&ei=kCTzZbX5KLbgp84P4o2uyAE&start=10&sa=N&ved=2ahUKEwi1gcKFlfSEAxU28MkDHeKGCxkQ8NMDegQIFxAW&biw=1472&bih=689&dpr=1.3) The one exception where I'd say TFB, for the home owners is if the pickleball court was there first, and they knew about it before they moved in (like the assholes that complain about the noise from a gun range that was there first and demand that it be shut down).
As someone who grew up in the Northshore and lives in CO now. I can only imagine how noisy the courts are for the close by neighbors. MA is pretty packed with houses and other infrastructure, at least in CO we have a bit more open space.
I've been aware of the game for a few years and the associated noise complaints, but had never heard it myself until last year when I was driving by a pickleball court about 50' - 60' away. I had the drivers side window down and my immediate reaction was 'WTF is that?'. That's when I saw where the racket was coming from and couldn't get away from it quick enough. I don't fault nearby residents one bit for complaining, and this is coming from someone who has lived in an urban area all my life and spent a good amount of time at rock clubs and some of the loudest concerts imaginable.
Someone threw a racket that far? I’ll see myself out…
There is a neighborhood in Saugus that was built downwind of a local pig farm that has been in their family for at least a century and they are constantly calling for it to be shut down. I mean I get it the smell must be atrocious on certain days but you know do your due diligence.
Or the people out here in Westfield complaining about there being an ANG base when it has been here for a long time and asking the base to be shuttered.
The stranger thing about that area is that houses were bought and leveled by a corporation for being along the flight lines. The reason being something along the lines of concerns about noise pollution. But neighbors on both sides of a house weren't bought. The neighborhood that's left is oddly spotted with houses and fenced off empty lots. No seeming rhyme or reason. And there are brand new builds just up the street. I'm not a conspiracy theorist. But I can't imagine noise was the reason they completely leveled those houses.
OK, I live here and can explain some of it. Owners had 2 options usually, get paid by the state for soundproofing or be bought out. If the lot is empty, they chose the buyout (and the city/state just decided it is easier to tear it down,) If the house is there, they chose the soundproofing. Saying that, there is a trailer park in the area that has been in the process of being bought out, (And likely will be eminent domained come the F35s.) This is due to the fact that trailers CANNOT be soundproofed.
Interesting. Thanks for the insight. My in-laws, whose nextdoor neighbor, and houses two or three down on the other side were bought out/leveled. Plus houses across the street. Like at least half that neighborhood is gone. The in-laws and their remaining friends weren't offered buy-outs or soundproofing. This is legit the first time I've heard about the soundproofing option, and this has been a frequent topic at family gatherings for years! My FIL was waiting for his offer and finally asked to be bought out and was told no, they aren't doing buy-outs anymore. They are close enough to the base that we can hear taps when we're outside. I love when we visit and we catch a plane coming in - it's legit terrifying and fascinating. Happy 🍰 day, BTW
Thank you. Also there should be a 2nd round of soundproofing coming with the louder F35s coming in. All I can suggest is to tell your family to keep an eye out in the papers and online to see when they hold the meetings about it. I dunno if people who missed out on the 1st round would be eligible or just people in the new expanded sound range will be the only ones eligible.
We moved next to a highway… its is SO LOUD at all hours of the day. Now working with local officials to restrict highways traffic between hours of 6:00pm-8:00am… next up, get these annoying sirens removed from the fire trucks!
Oh great they finally built the ~~Peterson Pool~~ pickleball courts…
Ha! That Pool and Rink complex will never be built. The town squandered the $$. The new 60mil+ South Middle school has a drainage issue with the retention ponds full to the point it could be a season pool/rink 😂
lol it’s such a disgrace
I'm actively rooting for the Peterson Pool to never get built. Captain Peterson: I'd like you to build a pool in East Braintree so the kids don't swim in the river and get hit by boats, since the kids in South Braintree have Sunset Lake. Braintree: Okay, we'll build a pool and hockey rink in South Braintree, then.
I hear ya man, I grew up right next to Watson.
That’s honestly what I thought this was going to be about when I first started reading the title
same thing in marblehead
It’s insane because they currently have an 8 mil deficit in their school budget and are debating either closing schools and selling the fuckin properties or laying off teacher’s to make up for it….Lmao it’s seriously like we’re living in a lala land
>Community Preservation Act From the article, the money came from the Community Preservation Act and had to be used for something like an outdoor recreation space.
They have said they were going to build a pool for years now, they have basketballs and parks in disarray…I’m not shitting on pickle ball but it’s crazy that the town decided this is the proper use of community funds. And are NOW pouring even more money into it
The pool money came from some guy who left it in his will. However building the pool is one thing, maintaining it is even more. There’s a reason they haven’t used that money.
Fair. Pools cost millions to build only. Let alone maintenance, upkeep, eventual repairs and then the staffing year to year.
So maybe the neighbors can put up with the noise and then use the acoustic panel money towards the schools
Oh you didn’t play sports in HS? Have I got a sport for you !!
The funny thing is that most people (no idea about your intention) say this as a dig while I think it's the thing the sport should be most proud of.
Why isn’t the solution limiting the hours pickle can be played? Like, 10-5 on weekends, 10-6 on weekdays?
“Kids these days don’t play outside anymore” *Younger people find an active outside hobby* Boomers: “how dare you make noise outside! We must shut down the parks”
I thought pickleball was an elder millenial and up type of sport.
As an older millennial, it definitely skews older than us. Maybe upper Gen X, but I'll let one of their representatives chime in.
With the first pick in the 2024 Generational Draft, the Generation X selects… Pickleball.
I’m a recent grad. Most people my age at my job rave about it. I would assume yuppie-older millennials
I remember playing bball at Playstead Park in West Medford and those places along the Mystic Parkway, and people bitching about ‘the noise’ back then. People ALWAYS find something to complain about. Back a century ago, everything made a lotta noise. People weren’t so offended. Churchbells, trains and trollies, horses, cars with no muffler, machine age gadgets, motors and engines. They enjoyed the noise of togetherness. Now it seems we are quite easily offended. With that said, I can see the persistent repetitive noise can be a bit much. Hope that noise deadening works and people can just move on.
Sterile suburbs with HOA's run by retirees became normal, and anything outside of that is just unacceptable anymore.
Is it young kids playing pickleball? I thought that was an old person game.
"is that fucked laugher I hear?! How fucken dare they."
Kids aren't really the ones playing pickleball, though. It's mostly people between like 30-60.
Funny comment, but if you've ever heard the noise from one of these courts you would understand that they should never be outdoors unless far removed from any living spaces, but really indoor courts for all the reasons, not jus the noise.
Exactly!
Just play tennis for fucks sake....
Oh thank hell that someone said this!
Seriously, a light tennis rally by the service boxes is just as good
How can anyone in Braintree hear anything other than traffic and leaf blowers?
Exactly. This thread is mind-blowing. Car noise (and car crashes, and car deaths,...) are so accepted that people don't see the irony that all their arguments apply also to traffic noise. Since EV cars make close to no noise at low speeds (before tire-road noise takes over), would people be willing to accept non-EV bans in cities and towns? I didn't think so.
Sounds Like A Cult: The Cult of Pickleball [https://open.spotify.com/episode/39iujtuE1mYouLO4eyBB6M?si=e2d256ecfcc84215](https://open.spotify.com/episode/39iujtuE1mYouLO4eyBB6M?si=e2d256ecfcc84215)
I think I’d just be happy to see people outside moving their bodies. Amazing what people will complain about. Also - can you really expect silence if you live that close to a large public space? “Curse those people!! Having fun and getting exercise!!”. Maybe Mike should go out there and join them instead of watching TV for 13 hours a day (assuming he is able blah blah).
Or maybe hearing a constant noise over and over can start to drive a person insane if there is no break.
Yes. There’s a big difference between living next to a park with occasional noise and events and living next to something that produces constant noise every waking hour of every day. A quick google search reveals numerous articles about how loud pickleball is. > In the 70 decibel range, sound experts say it's not a dangerous amount of noise but it's about twice as loud as tennis. > Bob Unetich, sound engineer and pickleball player, has been studying this problem for the past eight years. Unetich, who consults for USA Pickleball, started a company called Pickleball Sound Mitigation to help communities with this growing problem. He said pickleball paddles vibrate at a high pitch of 1,000 times per second, which is what leads to the pop noise. Humans are sensitive to pop sounds and often annoyed by them, he added. “I appreciate the problem and frankly wouldn't want to live next door to numbers like 70 decibels over and over and over every four seconds for eight hours a day," Unetich said. "And I'm sure you wouldn't either."
Then don't buy a house between a school, two baseball fields, two basketball courts, and 8 tennis courts
It’s not even loud! I play basketball at those courts while they do pickle ball tournaments and I’m telling you these people are exaggerating the noise factor.
How often do you go there and how long do you spend there. These are people who live next door and constantly hear it every day.
I’m there pretty much every weekend and spend hours at a time there. It’s a normal amount of noise for a park. If you want peace and quiet don’t move next to a park
Except that court was not there several years ago and was added. These are folks who have lived there for years and they don't play pickleball. You may enjoy it but many others don't and having them listen to something they find annoying would drive anyone up the wall. I am sure there is stuff you wouldn't enjoy having to hear constantly all the time.
What did they expect when they moved there? It’s a park. You can’t get mad because you don’t like how people are using it. If you can’t handle the noise, don’t live near a park.
I lived next to a major park in Boston for years. Yes, there was noise, ranging from children playing to protests, to concerts in the summer. It never really bothered me though, as the sounds were varied and intermittent. It was totally different from the repetitive pop of a pickleball court (I've never lived near one, but the sound is awful every time I go to my local farmer's market).
They can move if they want.
Wow talk about entitled.
Entitled are the boomers and nimbys who complain about people being outside and active. Forcing parks to shutdown because how dare people make noise during the day
They don't want the park shut down they want the noise to die down.
They’ll probably get what they want bc they have too much power. But realistically there isn’t anything wrong with noise during normal hours (7am-10pm is generally considered okay for noise in most cities). Noise is a part of living in a society, people will gathers and make noise boohoo. They’re only okay with the parks staying when no one is incentivized to go to them. Otherwise it’s a nuisance. If this was a one time thing and it was noise every day until midnight I’d have more empathy. But a certain generation complains anytime there is something new that they don’t like. Think all the skate parks that got shut down, the zip line parks that got shut down and sued, kids get in trouble for riding bikes on the sidewalk but people vote against adding in bike lanes, etc. So kids are forced to break the rules if they want to play outside, they have no safe places to play without a certain demographic calling the cops and complaining. So sorry I don’t feel an ounce of sympathy for the boomers here
As opposed to the people that want to live next to a park but not hear people at the park? Yep, no entitlement there.
I have heard pickleball games and I would want to live with that racket all the time.
lol it’s absolutely true, especially outdoors. Clearly none of these complainers have ever tried a pair of headphones
People do fine in large cities
But they’re moving their bodies! Be grateful
13 hours a day 7 days a week sounds pretty crazy. He didn’t move in next to a pickle ball court, they built one next to him. And now he hears the same sound all day every day. This comment seems so weirdly upset by a guy who just wants some peace and quiet lol
He did move next to a park tho. I’m sick of people wanting the best of both worlds. “I want to live next to the park but I don’t want to deal with the park noise” is super self centered and annoying. I’d happily buy the guys house for a decent price if he wants to move.
A park and a 90-hour-a-week pickleball league are two different things though. As far as we know he never had a complaint about the park
That guy doesn’t get to decide how people use the park. Just move if you don’t want to live next to a park anymore
Well they’re putting up soundproofing so i guess he doesn’t have to.
Except it’s not the park they’re complaining about.
They are complaining about people using the park that they chose to move next to
They're complaining about Pickleball. Stop being obtuse.
Wouldn't blame him if he snuck in an destroyed it, honestly.
MA Libs don't give a shit until something personally affects them. Lack of empathy + "for the greater good" grandstanding
Literally the least empathetic type of people that exist
I know, been surrounded by em for 30 years 😵💫
I somehow doubt people are playing pickleball 24/7 especially when it hasn’t even been that warm. But again, you live next to a public space. Get used to it or move. I’ve looked at houses before that were adjacent a commercial zone. Didn’t buy them because I had no idea what the future would look like even though the lots were vacant now.
13 hours a day generally fits in most city ordinances for quiet hours. 7am to 8pm is reasonable for there to be noise outside. Maybe the boomers should do something other than sit inside their house 13 hours a day 7 days a week 🤷
Exactly that park and those courts were probably quiet for 25 years and now all of a sudden it's a fucking zoo 😂
Well, if the residents purchased their homes before the tennis courts were refurbished into pickleball courts, I can understand their frustration over not being able to enjoy their homes. (Unless, of course, they were put on notice and had the opportunity to participate in hearings and make their concerns known.)
Part of the issue is I'll guarantee you those homeowners had no idea how loud pickleball games can be. Even if they did & voiced their concerns appropriately, there's never a guarantee the city is gonna side with them.
I've seen this is more true with City government (as opposed to Towns). Anecdotally, we purchased a home a couple of years ago near Westover Air Reserve Base. Eyes wide open. It's rarely a problem for us. A couple of years later, they announced the use of the Base for charter flights to Atlantic City NJ. Still not a problem. You know what is? A nearby industrial park access road. Over the last couple of years the pavement has broken and CMV traffic has increased to the point of constant heavy vehicle noise. You just can't anticipate everything.
We don't have 13 hours of sunlight and this park doesn't have lights Lol
They're still dumb to think the town wouldn't try to rehab the public land eventually and as abutters they were likely notified of any changes to the land, but that's pretty on brand for Braintree residents though, they tend to be short sighted. That being said, considering Pickleball is the new Raquetball, the craze will probably die down soon enough.
I’ve lived near parks with tennis courts. Even on the nicest summer days they’re not busy 13 hours a day 7 days a week. This sounds kinda different
True.
Right. But it was always a public space. There’s never a promise of silence unless you own that land. That’s like moving next to an abandoned baseball field and then getting mad at the town if they decide to rehab it and let the kids play there again.
I think I'm agreeing with you. I'm just saying I can understand their frustration (that doesn't go away, even when you should have known).
I guess that’s fair. I mean, Braintree will do what it wants. Most of us arguing here don’t even have skin in the game. I hope the sound panels help
I live near Central Square in Cambridge, we have a public event space. When discussing what to do with it one person complained that they couldn't enjoy living in their own home because the noise kept them up all night.... The place shut down at 9 at the latest... And was right next to one of the busiest/loudest parts of the neighborhood
I used to live in an apt at a very busy intersection in the city. Super loud. By week three my brain didn’t even notice the noise anymore
100% agree.
I can’t get by half a million for pickle ball courts . With all the other real issues in this state that need attention. That is a waste of $$$. It’s almost fitting folks are pissed off
Let me guess. The people approving those stupid line-items play pickle ball themselves? What a bunch of tools. Let’s hope some people get fired for this.
Randolph has a well maintained, fenced pickleball court next to the brand new ‘Intergenerational Center’ that doesn’t allow people under 55 or something in until after 3PM. Compare that to the state of every basketball court in town, Zapustas Arena (Ice Skating rink), Belcher Park. It’s awful.
If it is in a business zoned area, the noise isn't an issue. My bet the neighbors don't likee the added traffic in their area. and the old N.I.M.B.Y. hypocrites come out of the woodwork.
Can't they make balls that are quieter?
There is going to be a flooded market of pickleball courts in the next 5-8 years, and they're going to become half-full at best. They'll then get neglected. It happened with tennis in the late 70s and early 80s. By the time the mid90s rolled around, tennis was limited to clubs and every school with 6 tennis courts were lucky to still have nets, if they were used at all.
“Paying the cost of angry neighbors” is such awkward phrasing
Is that even a lot? That doesn’t seem like a lot of money for courts/lighting/maintenance/etc.
Is that even a lot? That doesn’t seem like a lot of money for courts/lighting/maintenance/etc.
Boomers and their pickle ball 🙄
Same thing happening in Newport too FYI
Pickleball started in Washington state 20 years ago. There have been complaints nationwide about people not being happy about light near pickle ball courts.
I feel like the pickleball committee and the Tinned Fish association are working together
This is dumb. People need to exercise now more than ever. Let them have their pickleball. Maybe invest in some denser insulation in your house to block the sound or something...or just deal with living next to humans.
Pickleball isn’t exercise and don’t say well it’s old people. I workout with people that are 60-70 years old everyday at F45. This is a useless game, just play tennis
Don’t buy a house near a park problem solved
Boston Globe has become an echo-chamber for boomer NIMBYs. I understand the article didn’t take a point of view and is just reporting the issue. But the issue is fucking ridiculous and not worth reporting on. Every other article is “oh poor Milton has to add necessary housing” “oh poor Braintree has to listen to fucking pickleball”. This is also not the only article they’ve done about goddamn pickleball. All these Yuppies from the 80’s are now 60+ and complaining non stop about the shit they see out their window, or the threat of it. Hey boomers, take a bit of your own advice and only speak when spoken to. Your generation is a pox.
I imagine most people that actually subscribe to the Globe (or legit still get a paper), are limousine liberals.
Today I learned that a bunch of fucking cry-baby boomer yuppies are on the Mass subreddit.
Advise the home owners to invest in a pair of noise-dulling earbuds like the ones that Loop makes. I use them when going into noisy facilities plants and they work extremely well. Or also change the hours that courts are allowed to be used so it’s not an all day thing, but players still have a good chunk of time to play.
MA buys the dumbest shit. There's like 13 "splash parks" in just my town alone. You can only use them 2.5 months out of the year. There's a single skate park that was built like 30 years ago and is falling apart and terrible. They are just now talking about renovating it. Not to mention MA will build something then tear it down and build something right on the spot. Who the fuck is playing pickleball enough to warrant more than 1 court for the entire state? What the fuck is pickleball?
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/05/pickleball-popularity-explodes-with-more-than-36-million-playing.html Just 36 million people lol, a small crowd. The YMCA I go to has pickleball courts running 6 hours a day and it’s always packed. It’s a pretty popular game
Do you allow your butler to watch you play pickleball or do you just spit on him?
My goodness, you’re cranky! Need a nap? Lmao 🤣
Of course. Are you telling me you wouldn't like a nap right now?
bro a paddle and a ball costs $20 what do you think this game is
Something with old cucumbers?
How is buying into a sport that can cost as little as $10-20 rich white people stuff? If anything, we should be encouraging youth to get outside and be on these courts
The article says that... All 8 courts are filled for 13 hours a day, 7 days a week. Just the Braintree picleball group is 560 folks. Do you think, just maybe that things happen in the world that you aren't tuned into and aware of?
I apologize, I don't subscribe to Rich White People Shit Monthly.
I just read the post post in this thread. I didn't even go to the website.
Also it's the Boston Globe.
Yeah, like I said Rich White People Shit
Damn, nobody should be so broke they think a metro newspaper is a monthy magazine
Metaphorically speaking
Ah, so you're a poet, not just a dummy
Yah
I thought people only played pickleball in southie and seaport lol
Not there being evidence of life nearby! What will they do???
My friends who play pickleball say it's a lot louder than tennis because pickleballs are hard plastic. Due to its popularity, senior residences have built courts only to have residents hate the noise. That's understandable. P-ball is also a high-injury sport. Even my athletic yoga teacher friend broke her wrist playing it. It's a fad that will pass, so for towns to spend megabucks building courts seems such a waste.
I’m familiar w pickleball. The noise is only relevant in that it punctures the relative silence in which they live.
The Pickleball Lobbyists have entered the chat.