Hobble Creek Park
Master Plan Meeting
Public Meeting Comments/Questions
May 19, 2015
Cecil Andrus Elementary
5:30 pm-7:00 pm
Staff in Attendance: Sarah Collings, Kelly Burrows, Thomas Governale, Paula Ekins
Meeting Notes
Question: What is on the edge of the pickleball courts?
Answer: There will be a 6 foot high fence around the pickleball courts and a 10 foot high fence around the
tennis courts.
Comment: Cricket is currently being played on the existing concrete pad. Sometimes their tennis balls end up
on the path. I am jogger and use the path to run around the park. They are very friendly and stop their games,
but that means around 3 times. There are currently conflicts between the cricket players and individuals who
want to walk/run on the path. That is not fair to them or other park users, there needs to be a solution to reduce
conflicts.
Comment: We are a different group than the group at Ann Morrison. We live right nearby in the apartments
and walk over and play.
Answer: We are very interested in talking with your group and hearing your perspective. We truly want to
work with you so you are not displaced from the park. Let’s discuss what we can do to work together.
Installing the pitch at Ann Morrison has worked really well and it is a multi-purpose field, so soccer, cricket and
ultimate Frisbee can be played in the same space.
Comment: Feel as though when you put in all of the fencing for the courts and then the latest fencing between
the YMCA and the park, it will have a fenced in feeling. You are taking away green space by adding the
pickleball courts and redoing the tennis courts.
Comment: I am a Hobble Creek resident. I see families come to the park and individuals play cricket at the
same time.
Comment: I briefly looked over the sign-in sheet and about 44 attendees are from out of local zip code, 83713.
The park already has so many users.
Answer: Boise Parks & Recreation has a license agreement with Carson Spencer, individual representing a
group of citizens engaged in the activity of pickleball. The Department has received a request to expand the
pickleball courts at Hobble Creek. It will be first location solely for pickleball users (of course youth can play
tennis on them or pickleball on them as well). In the future, there might be other complexes developed in other
parks.
Comment: Have definite concerns about parking because it is already an issue.
Comment: Within 1 mile of the park, there are 3 schools. Over 4000 students and a lot of them play tennis.
Let’s focus on sports that the local residents play.
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Comment: I am a PE teacher here at Cecil Andrus and I use the 2 pickleball courts now for the younger
children. They cannot play on regulation sized tennis courts. I can have up to 32 students playing.
Comment: I would recommend pushing the fence to the YMCA property instead of having a fence on each side
of the path behind the YMCA.
Question: What about all of the trees that will be removed?
Answer: We are required to mitigate any trees we remove; we will replant trees between the park and the
courts. They are drawn on the map, but they are a little hard to see with the aerial.
Comment: Let’s work together. Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the World. It also appeals to all ages
from young to older. It is a great physical activity. Let’s try to accommodate everyone.
Comment: I have played tennis and pickleball. It is a small court, best for kids. It is difficult for young children
to play on a regulation size tennis court. Pickleball sized courts might get kids interested in tennis or pickleball.
It is the best solution for everyone.
Comment: I am a Hobble Creek resident. I love the diversity of facilities we currently have at the park. I hope
we can expand that and engage more of our neighbors. It will be a benefit to the area. The Sunday cricket
group is very friendly.
Question: I have questions/concerns about tournaments.
Answer: Pickleball tournaments range from 1,2 or 3 day events. It would be envisioned that this complex could
host the Idaho Senior Games pickleball portion in August and then the Idaho State Pickleball tournament which
occurs in the spring. There is also league play and we offer a lot of free lessons too. It is a fairly inexpensive
sport so that is why it is appealing. Sometimes the tournaments are Thursday through Saturday. The impact to
the park is not going to be as big as youth events/sports.
Question: What happens during tournament time? Will the tennis courts or pickleball courts be available for
drop-in users? What about restrooms?
Answer: One court always has to be available to the general public for drop-in use. In regards to tournaments,
port-a-potties would need to be provided and paid by the tournament organizers.
Comment: What about the undeveloped parcel at McDevitt Park? Could the pickleball courts be installed
there?
Answer: We had a public meeting a couple of years ago and the land is going to be lacrosse fields and an
expanded parking lot.
Comment: The lacrosse balls fly, so I would recommend a 10 foot fence along the one side of the
pickleball/tennis courts because otherwise the lacrosse balls will be going in the pickleball courts.
Comment: Parking seriously. There are 32 spots. The neighborhood is already over parked.
Answer: We are partners with the Y and have used them a lot in the past when we had swim meets at the West
Y. The largest meet we have draws 1500 swimmers and then the weekly meets on Tuesdays draw around 625.
Those numbers impact the neighborhood and surrounding streets a lot, so we have been working really hard to
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partner with the Y to alleviate some of the impact to the neighbors. Pickleball will nowhere have the numbers
that are currently being drawn to the West Y.
Comment: The park is already overscheduled. There is soccer, lacrosse, baseball and swimming. There is not
enough room.
Question: Will there is a public address system needed for pickleball tournaments? I can hear the Y from my
house.
Answer: In vision using a megaphone to announce who is playing next, but nothing more.
Comment: I can hear the pickleballs now at my house.
Question: How full will the park be when busy?
Answer: The largest crowd will be during the 2 tournaments a year. There would also be league games which
are generally once a week during the week or weekends.
Comment: I am a Hobble Creek resident and former pickleball player. So much is done for the youth; it is time
to do something for the elderly.
Comment: I see this as an upgrade and it will be well used by many. I don’t see this as dangerous or bad. I say
we maintain all sports. I like the variety in the park. I don’t think that the 2 fences are not aesthetically
pleasing—could we just have one fence instead of two? Maybe create a buffer between the fences with some
shrubs/plantings. Parking is already an issue.
Answer: The cost of the project is $253,000. We build a lot of amenities in parks via partnerships. Boise Parks
& Recreation does not have the money but it may happen with matching funds or a donation. This will not be
installed until funding is available.
Comment: There used to be a basketball court on the Y property. Now there are PODS, trash, dumpsters there.
It is an eyesore. Can we add basketball back?
Answer: We can look into adding a basketball court to the park. The location of the basketball court in the past
is not on our property.
Comment/Question: Is the newly installed fence permanent? Is it necessary?
Answer: The fence was installed to keep vehicular traffic out.
Cricket Player Comment: We would prefer not to have a shared used field. We like to drop by anytime and
play.
Answer: Sounds like the consensus of the neighborhood is that an assurance that cricket will be represented
before signing off on any proposal.
Comment: Pickleball is growing in Boise. When I first started there were 23 people with 2 courts, now we have
over 160 members. Ages in the group range from 12 to 80. It is a growing population and also pickleball is
started to be taught in schools. The season for pickleball is also mainly June to September. We aren’t talking
about year around play.
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Comment: In this gym/cafeteria, after a few hours, 3 pickleball courts would be lined inside here.
Comment: My family lives in the neighborhood and we have to drive to find space to play. You are taking away
fields for recess.
Comment: Never seen a sole every play pickleball here. The concrete pad is not being used at all.
Question: Where else have you looked to install a complex of this size?
Answer: This was the first location we looked at. We believe this might be the first of many of these around
the valley. This location met certain criteria, such as a community park and the existence of the concrete pad.
Comment: I live within a mile of the park. Parks impact daily life, that is just a given. There is pedestrian and
vehicular traffic. There is noise from the park and of course there are parking issues too. With the Parks
Department having control of scheduling in this park, I believe that they will be available to disperse use and
lessen the impact on the neighborhood as much as they can. I agree that parking should definitely be addressed
before adding any more amenities to the park, don’t let it be an afterthought. Maybe shrubs can be planted to
mitigate some of the noise and create a buffer between the park and the neighborhood. Maybe a MOU could be
created between the Y and Boise Parks & Recreation.
Comment: As a neighborhood we want to be able to provide feedback. We want to be consulted when
landscaping or fencing is going to be installed at the park. The Homeowners Associations in the area also need
to be consulted. The new fence is still hard to swallow. What about other locations instead of Hobble Creek
Park for the complex? Many times things can’t be written on paper that a park provides for residents.
Question: Are the tennis courts going to remain?
Answer: Yes. There will be two tennis courts there which can be used for tennis or pickleball.
Comment: We have received a few emails requesting basketball court to return and add bocce courts to the
park. It could be done at the same time.
Nextdoor Comment: It is of great concern to be losing our tennis courts completely and converting them to
pickle ball courts. I believe 8 courts on the new slab are plenty for pickle ball. I like a variety of sports options in
our park. If a 12 court spread is needed for big events, then perhaps this is not the right park this. Please look for
the petition to keep a diverse sports option at hobble creek park. I am also hoping to attain an update to the old
basketball court next to the YMCA. The court is now used for dumpsters and pod storage, And the Basketball
court is greatly missed. If you don't want this major change to occur to the full extent, and cannot attend the
meeting please email your thought directly to [email protected].
Nextdoor Comment: Have you been to the Plantation Golf Club? They made a compromise by simply painting
red lines to demarcate the pickleball zones on the existing tennis courts, and they have a mechanism by which to
slightly alter the net height depending on what sport you happen to be playing. The lines are quite subtle, so they
would not be distracting to a tennis player. This website details how it is done: http://www.usapa.org/tenniscourt-conver.... I would also like to maintain a diversity of options - I was actually looking forward to teaching
the kids doubles tennis this summer, so I'm glad they mailed out a notice to us!
Nextdoor Comment: In the one mile block surrounding Hobble Creek there is an Elementary, Middle and High
School with student totals about 3,500 students. These students and families need access to the tennis courts to
learn tennis. There are multiple tennis teams at both the Middle School and High School - for students to
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participate on. Boise and Meridian cities will offer 100's of tennis classes this summer for youth and adults.
There are NO pickleball classes, school teams or leagues for children and teens to my knowledge. The Hobble
Creek Tennis Courts are some of the only tennis courts in all of West Boise other than Fairmont and Winstead
Parks both over 5-7 miles away over busy roads - unaccessible to young children and families in our area. It
would be a terrible disservice to our area to loose these valuable tennis courts. The tennis courts located behind
the YMCA campus are complimentary to an additional athletic offering. In fact, with the need for the hundreds
of tennis class offerings, it seems fitting that the back cement pad could be developed into additional tennis
courts as on many mornings, we have to wait sometimes over a couple of hours for tennis courts to open up.
Additionally, It seems a more fitting location for the Pickleball Courts whose members are mostly older folks
who have the ability to drive to locations would be one of the other 27 Boise Parks tennis sites that are located
in mostly downtown areas. Please tell Boise City parks and rec that the tennis courts at Hobble Creek need to
stay.
Nextdoor Comment: I love Pickleball, but I love Tennis too, let’s keep it Balanced. Thanks
Nextdoor Comment: These are all excellent ideas/points. I hope you send them in to the address listed and
come to the meeting and speak up. I would like to point out that at least part of the costs are being funded by
pickle ball supporters. So if we requested additional tennis courts instead I'm not sure about funding. Likewise
the basketball court I want updated next to the YMCA. Unless of course somehow they come to an agreement to
make all courts be usable for both tennis and pickle ball as suggested earlier. Which seems like the perfect
solution.
Nextdoor Comment: Leave the tennis courts and add bocce.
Nextdoor Comment: I work with several people at HP who like to play tennis in the park at lunch time. This
activity might not be available to them if we lost the courts. Especially with the convenient proximity to the
YMCA to change and clean up before and after playing. I vote to keep the tennis courts.
Nextdoor Comment: Is there a reason why the tennis courts have to go? I am not in favor of converting the
tennis courts to pickleball courts. I would be in favor of having tennis courts and pickleball courts at the same
facility.
Meeting Comment: Yay pickleball! Would love to have more courts for my students. Thank you city parks! PE
Teacher at Andrus Elementary
Meeting Comment: Hobble Creek proposal for pickleball court, For. Need activities for seniors.
Meeting Comment: Wow. I’m surprised with how rude some of the pickleball players are. I’m not excited
about them taking over Hobble Creek Park. It will change our park forever. Why don’t you put the pickleball
courts in your neighborhood park? ( I bet you are glad they aren’t!)
Meeting Comment: Please keep this a family park. There is not nearly enough parking for something of this
size!!
Meeting Comment: The Boise area needs a pickleball complex in some location due to the growth of the sport.
And some location needs to be first.
Meeting Comment: We play cricket all the time.
Meeting Comment: we play cricket during winter as well as on the concrete slab.
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Meeting Comment: Fix Parking from YMCA. Resolve cricket. Good Luck.
Meeting Comment: I am a Westside Boise resident-close by but not in Hobble Creek. The west side of Boise is
slighted in all park/class options. I think westside pickleball option is very important instead of expecting
westsiders to drive a distance. I have great sympathy for parking issues at Hobble Creek—try to find a solution.
Pickleball is a good way to allow tax payers of upper ages to make use of our tax dollars. This is a city park-not
Hobble Creek park (unless they want to be totally responsible money wise).
Meeting Comment: NO! NO1 NO! NO PICKLEBALL COURTS IN OUR BELOVED HOBBLE CREEK
PARK!
• Family park-let’s keep it that way!
• Limited parking issue
• Cricket players
Many uses already for our park-lacrosse, soccer, baseball. I currently don’t have a reservation about sending my
children (8,10,12,15,17) to the park without me being there (obviously this pertains to my younger children). I
will not feel comfortable doing this with all of the people that will be coming to our park for pickleball. It will
change Hobble Creek Park forever. Can’t you put this in a bigger park? Please don’t change our park!
Email Comment:
I am a tennis player and a pickleball player. I will not be able to attend the meeting on the 19th as it a night that
my tennis team has a match that night. I would like to support the idea of having a place with pickleball courts
to use and the Hobble Creek plan seems like a good one. My only comment is that I live on the east side of
town and it is a long drive to get to Hobble Creek. I played this winter in Utah on just pickleball courts and it
really makes the experience of playing the game much better on courts just made for pickleball. I would also
like to suggest that a location like Ivywild or Williams that has 4 tennis courts would be a great place to have
pickleball lines on the courts. The Boise Pickleball Club seems to be growing and it is difficult to have a club
event on a two court site as people have to wait so long to get to play that they get discouraged. Thanks for the
great support the City is giving the pickleball game. People really enjoy the game and opportunity to play.
Email Comment:
Patti and I are big pickle ball supporters.
We have been going to sessions at Fort Boise this winter and would love some courts in the North End also!
Email Comment:
I am hoping to attend meeting this evening but still want on written record my desire for the pickleball courts.
I have played pickleball several times. It is a great game for all of us that are retired and still want to be active. I
have not been able to play lately due to the fact there are more people than courts.
Please place these much need courts in the designated area. There are many parks and courts for younger people
but not for us older citizens.
Email Comment:
I have read some material on proposed changed to YMCA park.
I saw that the tennis courts would be changed to pickle ball courts, I have seen many people use the tennis
courts- especially the elderly during the morning. We frequently go to the park a few times a week year round.
They are always being used and I don't see why they would be taken out. I am not opposed to adding pickle ball
courts, but please don't remove the tennis courts.
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Also, I would like to see the basketball courts put in and maintained. I love that there are sand volleyball courts
there, I love there is a diversity of areas that people of all interests can use. Please keep it that way!!
Email Comment:
I am so happy that Boise is considering building pickleball courts by the YMCA. About 3 years ago I wrote a
long letter to the director of Parks and Recreation begging the parks to build pickleball courts.
Since Boise has always promoted physical fitness, sports, and activities, pickleball fits right into this attitude.
Cities all over America are building these facilities...the USAPA estimates that in the last two years, over
10,000 courts have been built national wide.
In the small town of Casa Grande, Arizona, where I own a house, we have 67 courts and another 16 are planned
for this summer.
I no longer live in Boise, but would like to donate $100 toward the project. Please let me know if it is approved,
and I will mail a check to the Parks and Rec office.
Email Comment:
Is it really such a good idea to replace the tennis courts in the park with Pickle ball courts? There are more than
a few people using them for tennis. Four pickle ball courts on the adjacent pad should be adequate.
Granted pickle ball is becoming a popular sport, but tennis should not be dicouraged for those who love the
game. It's had more than a little longevity!
Email Comment:
I am a pickle-ball player and a tennis player. With the growing number of pickle-ball players, we definitely need
more courts for p. ball. I am reaching an age that tennis will soon be in my past. I love p. ball and the lovely
people that I have met that play. P. ball is not just for the elderly, my 16 year old grandson loves the game. The
y-court now has 8 indoor courts that are busy every day during the week. And you usually have to wait to play.
The game is growing by leaps and bounds. I hope that this new facility can come to be!
Email Comment:
This e-mail is in response to the flyer mailed to residents concerning the public meeting to be held on May 19th,
2015 regarding the tennis courts at Hobble Creek Park.
I will be unable to attend the meeting but wanted to make sure that my opinion on this matter was accounted
for. My family and I enjoy using the tennis courts at the Hobble Creek park and intend on using them in the
future. I do not want the tennis courts converted to Pickle ball courts. I am however in full agreement for
converting the concrete slab beside the tennis courts into Pickle ball courts.
I believe a compromise can be made in this situation in which both tennis and pickle ball players can share
these public spaces equally.
Email Comment:
I will not be able to attend the meeting on May 19, 2015.
I am very much in support of building the pickleball courts at Hobble Creek park. At present, there are very few
places to play pickleball in the Boise area, and I think they will bring scores of players out to the park. If usage
is your goal, this would be a great addition.
Email Comment:
As a senior, I have seen amazing growth of pickleball locally and around the country. Locally, Homecourt in
Meridian is now devoting 3 of its 4 basketball courts in the morning to up to 9 pickleball courts. The sport
seems to appeal to older folks who like the exercise, but it is much less physically demanding than tennis or
racquetball.
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On a slightly more negative note, The Villages ( in Florida) has many courts and players waiting in long lines to
get their turn. However, the noise the ball makes when it hits a racquet does carry a bit. People with homes
within 50 yards when the wind is blowing their way have complained of the constant clicking noise. .So if the
tennis courts are directly adjacent to homes , some investigation and considerations need to be made.Suggestion:
windbreak screening will dampen the sound and improve play on very windy days.
We live in Banbury Meadows which is just around the corner from the proposed location of the pickleball
courts. Most owners within our subdivision are retirees or near retired . I believe the introduction of a local ,
outside pickleball court would draw a lot of interest.
Maybe do the YMCA courts first to see how it goes over?
Email Comment:
I've recently become aware of a public meeting scheduled for May 19, dealing with the possibility of a
pickleball complex at Hobble Creek Park. Circumstances have our family away from Boise for several months,
but I wanted to make you aware, as I'm sure you are, of the explosive growth in pickleball play in Boise that I've
observed, and the expanding need for play locations. I've only known of pickleball for just over a year. As
you'd expect, I've come to enjoy it greatly, but I thought a personal experience might help you understand the
growth in interest and help us effectively respond to the needs. I've worked with the Boise Area Pickleball
Association recently, helping with their monthly pickleball tournaments. A tournament in January had 36
registrants, a similarly publicized tournament in April had 77 registrants. While some of the increase is due to
the return of seasonal residents, the majority was related to newly introduced players. I hope it's clear that
interest in the sport is rapidly outgrowing its current facilities.
I wholeheartedly support the concept of this complex and will actively support its creation. Thanks for your
interest.
Email Comment:
We will be out of town during the public meeting, so I wanted to communicate my thoughts. I live where we
see the park all the time, and am president of the HOA in Hobble Creek. We work closely with the park to
ensure it is cared for and things work well for all.
I have two concerns about the pickle ball proposal.
A. Tennis Courts are Used.
The 4-6 people I occasionally see playing pickle ball normally happens only on Saturday morning when it is
cool.
Very seldom do I see pickle ball in the evening, and I frequently see parents and children or adults playing
tennis in the afternoon and evening hours. Even school age kids repeatedly working on their serves.
I do not think that the demand justifies the change, and it would be a disservice to the tennis community. I am
not aware of there being other tennis courts that are within walking distance from Legends, Hobble Creek or the
YMCA.
The adults using the pickle ball courts drive and are mobile, they could play at other facilities. The children and
families that use the tennis courts often ride bikes or walk to the courts.
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B. Expanding to the South of the existing tennis courts.
There are 15-20 gentlemen that play cricket there almost every weekend. They tried using the baseball fields
but the dirt isn't packed hard enough. Many of these players live in the apartments near by and work at HP.
While they play cricket and or volleyball, their families frequently walk around the path. This culteral and
ethnic diversity is important in our area. The space they use is actually a little too small, but they make do and
adjust the rules accordingly.
My Suggestions
These tennis courts don't show up on google, nor on most listings of Boise tennis courts. Perhaps that can be
changed.
Take a facility with unused space like McDevitt and build the pickle ball courts, or take a facility with 6-8
courts and create the environment there, so both sports can be served.
Email Comment:
In response to the green flyer about the Hobble Creek Public Meeting, I'm all in favor of pickleball courts. I play
myself, along with close friends who also love the sport. As president of DeMeyer Park Subdivision I was
unable to muster support for Tennis/Pickleball courts at DeMeyer Park so it's great to see them fairly close by.
If there is any interest in putting some in at DeMeyer I would be happy to restart and redouble my efforts to
promote the cause. It's been fun to watch the new concrete coming in from the park north to HP. What are the
plans for continuing concrete or reasphalt east to Five Mile? What kind of leg work would I need to do to get
that to happen? Hickories? HP? ACHD? Boise City? Parks and Rec? I'm still working on HP taking
responsibility for the skanky grass along their property on Five Mile where the city waters the trees but neither
mows or nor waters the grass. One last item. The Zinger Lateral from McMillan Rd north to DeMeyer Park. I
organized a joint effort of Hickory and Demeyer people to help mitigate erosion by lining the edges with rocks
from the bottom of the ditch. We did what we could but a a couple of trucks of bread loaf or larger rocks would
really help things out. We would be willing to distribute with another work party if you could help us secure
more rock. DeMeyer HOA paid to fix the bank and repair our sprinkler system, where Hickory residents had
put up a rope swing and dammed up the ditch to make a little pond. That has been taken down thankfully and
we dismantled the dam rocks back to the bank along the way. I would like to walk the line with you again. I
retired from public education last May and have a little more flexibility to meet.
Thanks for all you do and putting up with all our hair brained ideas.
Email Comment:
I am all for converting the tennis courts to all pickle ball and adding additional courts on the cement slab. I play
on pickle ball on the two existing courts from spring through fall on Sunday mornings. Over the past two years
I have noticed that when the courts are being used over 75% of the time it is pickle ball being played. I was
disappointed they did not add courts to Demeyer Park on the current upgrade so this will be a great and
eliminate the need at Demeyer Park.
Email Comment:
Hello Kelly Burrows,
I received a notice of public meeting regarding the proposed changes to Hobble Creek Park tennis courts.
I live near this park and frequently use the tennis courts in the Hobble Creek Park.
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PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE or REPURPOSE MY TENNIS COURTS in Hobble Creek Park.
In the warmer months I often wait in turn for the use of a tennis court.
I think the addition of any new pickle ball court at the sake losing even one of the existing tennis courts in
Hobble Creek Park is unreasonable.
Also, there is a frequent usage of the existing concrete pad adjacent to the WEST YMCA by a group of Indian
men that play cricket in this area on a weekly basis, typically Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
I currently enjoy watching the cricket games in Hobble Creek Park.
I believe these cricket games are held by Indian residents of Hobble Creek Apartments.
Please canvas the Hobble Creek Apartments to ensure these cricket players are informed and surveyed about the
proposed loss of their cricket pitch.
For the record, I am opposed to the converting of one or both of the two existing tennis courts in Hobble Creek
Park into a pickle ball court.
I am opposed to the loss of any of the existing usage or the loss of any of the existing open area within Hobble
Creek Park.
I am opposed to the loss of the concrete slab adjacent to the tennis courts if it means that more metal fencing
will be erected in Hobble Creek Park.
The proposed new pickle ball fields should be located in some other Boise park, perhaps Ann Morrison Park,
but not in Hobble Creek Park.
There is plenty of undeveloped land in Ann Morrison Park, please consider using a portion of the undeveloped
land in that park to add new pickle ball courts, rather than remove existing tennis courts and cricket pitch from
my neighborhood park.
Or perhaps you can find a land area in some other under developed park in the City of Boise and construct new
pickle ball courts in that park.
Email Comment:
We are unable to attend the meeting but are concerned for the 2 tennis courts that are already marked for
pickleball. Reading the notice it looks like you are planning to remove the tennis courts altogether. We are
opposed to that as we use the tennis courts for tennis with several of our friends and note that during the week
the courts are always full and either have to wait or travel to another park. Great idea to build 4 pickelball courts
south of the existing tennis courts. In the last year only twice was the court next to us being used for pickelball.
Will there be future public meetings on this project?
Thank you for your consideration.
Email Comment:
Hello,
I would appreciate the consideration from the City of Boise to NOT remove the Tennis courts in the Hobble
Creek Park. I currently own two properties there, and have for the past almost 20 years. This would be a great
loss for our kids please reconsider it.
Email Comment:
Hello,
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I am writing to ask that the city please keep the tennis courts at the hobble creek park in Boise. We live in
the Hobble Creek neighborhood and use those tennis courts and would be very sad to see them become pickle
ball courts.
Email Comment:
Dear Mr. Burrows,
Please keep Hobble Creek tennis courts as tennis courts.
In the one mile block surrounding Hobble Creek there are 2 Elementary schools, a Middle and a High School
with student totals over 4,000. These students and their families need access to the tennis courts to learn tennis.
There are multiple tennis teams at both the Middle School and High School for students to participate on. These
schools are closed campuses and local neighbors are not allowed on school property during school hours 7:30
am-6:00ish pm. The teams are large enough that there are often not enough courts for students to practice on
during school hours. Team members will at times, walk to Hobble Creek to practice.
Additionally, Boise and Meridian cities will offer over 200 tennis classes this summer for youth and adults.
There are NO pickle ball classes, school teams, or leagues for children and teens to my knowledge. The Hobble
Creek Tennis Courts are some of the only tennis courts in all of West Boise other than Fairmont and Winstead
Parks both over 5-7 miles away over busy roads - inaccessible to young children and families in our area. It
would be a terrible disservice to our area to loose these valuable tennis courts. The tennis courts located behind
the YMCA campus are also complimentary to an additional athletic offering. It seems that more fitting locations
for the Pickle ball community, whose members are mostly older folks, who have the ability to drive to various
locations, would be one of the other 27 Boise Parks tennis sites that are located in more eastern Boise areas.
While this discussion actually makes a case that the cement pad behind the YMCA could more legitimately be
used as additional tennis courts rather than pickle ball courts, it would be nice to provide the pickle ball folks
courts because they take up space on the Hobble Creek Tennis courts and prevent neighbors from using the
tennis courts. We have to wait quite a long time sometimes for them to finish so we can play tennis.
The Tennis courts at Hobble Creek need to stay!
Thank you for allowing neighbors the opportunity to make comments.
Email Comment:
Keep the tennis courts and just install the new proposed pickle ball courts in addition to them! Why do we need
to remove the tennis courts too? Don't do it! Don't rip out the courts, we live in Hobble Creek and utilize them
sometimes.
Thanks!
Email Comment: Please keep the tennis courts at Hobble Creek. Thanks
Email Comment:
I strong disagree losing our 2 tennis courts. I'm NOT understanding the idea of all or nothing pickle ball courts.
Why not keep the tennis courts as is and add a few pickle ball courts plus would save the city money!
11
I vote to SAVE the tennis courts!!!!!!!!
Email Comment:
To Whom it May Concern,
I have been a resident of Hobble Creek since 2001. We love nearby Hobble Creek Park and use it with our 5
children nearly weekly. We also love the tennis courts at the park and feel it would be a great loss to our
community to lose these courts. It seems there are very few tennis courts in the area and we love that they are
nearby, free and so fun to use. Our vote is to keep the tennis courts, but to add pickle ball courts to the cement
area behind the YMCA. Why not give the park a variety of uses?
Thanks and regards.
Email Comment:
Our family would like to keep the Tennis Courts as Tennis Courts at Hobble Creek. I live next to these
courts and know they are used often, as we usually have to wait to use them. Our family prefers tennis to pickle
ball.
Email Comment:
Kelly,
I would like to submit my comments regarding the proposed conversion of the tennis courts to pickleball courts
located at Hobble Creek Park.
These tennis courts are actively used by myself and several other folks for tennis. We enjoy the proximity of
their location to HP and other surrounding businesses, which make them convenient to play at.
Currently, there are several folks that use the tennis courts to play pickleball. There are pickleball lines painted
on the courts and the net can easily be lowered to create an official pickleball court. To this point, tennis is
backward compatible with pickleball. However, pickleball is not compatible with tennis. It is not possible for
tennis players to utilize pickleball courts.
The current configuration of pickleball/tennis compatibility allows players from both sports to utilize the
facility. By making the proposed changes the Parks & Rec department would eliminate one sport entirely from
the park.
Please do not pass this proposal. Instead, lets keep Hobble Creek Park accommodating to all groups, as it is
now.
Email Comment:
I would like to voice my opinion on the pickle ball courts at Hobble Creek Park. As a resident of Hobble Creek,
I strongly oppose the tennis courts being converted to pickle ball courts. My family uses the tennis courts
frequently, as does several of our neighbors. I think it would be a great loss to our neighborhood and our
community.
Why not keep the tennis courts and add the pickleball courts in the empty slab of concrete behind the tennis
courts/YMCA? This would add variety to the park, but keep the tennis courts we love.
Email Comment:
To Whom It May Concern:
12
In the one mile block surrounding Hobble Creek there are 2 Elementary schools, a Middle and a High School
with student totals over 4,000. These students and their families need access to the tennis courts to learn tennis.
There are multiple tennis teams at both the Middle School and High School - for students to participate on.
These schools are closed campuses and local neighbors are not allowed on school property during school hours
7:30 am-6:ooish pm. The teams are large enough that there are often not enough courts for students to practice
on during school hours. Team members will at times, walk to Hobble Creek to practice.
Additionally, Boise and Meridian cities will offer over 200 tennis classes this summer for youth and adults.
There are NO pickle ball classes, school teams, or leagues for children and teens to my knowledge. In fact, with
the need for a couple hundred tennis class offerings, it seems fitting that maybe the back cement pad could be
developed into additional tennis courts as on many mornings, or summer evenings, we have to wait for tennis
courts to open up. The Hobble Creek Tennis Courts are some of the only tennis courts in all of West Boise other
than Fairmont and Winstead Parks, both over 5-7 miles away over busy roads - inaccessible to young children
and families in our area. It would be a terrible disservice to our area to lose these valuable tennis courts. It
seems that more fitting locations for the Pickleball community, whose members are mostly older folks, who
have the ability to drive to various locations, would be one of the other 27 Boise Parks tennis sites that are
located in more Eastern Boise areas.
Hobble Creek Resident
Email Comment:
Please do not remove the tennis courts at Hobble Creek Park and replace them with Pickle Ball courts. If the Y
wants to install Pickle Ball courts on their property fine, but please leave the tennis courts at the park. Many
young people in the area learn tennis on these courts and tennis is an organized sport at the high schools.
Email Comment:
Mr. Burrows,
Please add my name to the keep tennis courts as is. I was there this week now that weather is cooperating. I
expect my preteens interest is just going to continue to grow! Thanks
Email Comment:
Dear parks department:
Please keep the existing tennis courts at HC park. They are used often, are in good condition, and are the only
accessible courts around. If some group desires pickleball courts(? Whatever that is??), then other areas should
be used first. I haven't seen anyone use the street hockey for its purpose in about 10 years.
It would be a loss to eliminate good tennis courts when there are other areas that could be utilized for some sport
trend that few in the vicinity have heard about.
Email Comment: Keep tennis courts!
Email Comment: Tennis courts as is and pickle ball courts on the other slab. Keep it simple and cost down.
More people play tennis than pickle ball. What is your reasoning to do away with tennis activity?
13
Email Comment:
Please keep the tennis courts at Hobble Creek. We use and love these.
Email Comment:
To whom it may concern,
We are in favor of keeping the tennis courts at Hobble Creek. They are much more practical and versatile than
pickle ball courts would be.
Email Comment:
We like to vote for keeping the tennis court.
Thanks
Email Comment:
I am a resident of the Hobble Creek subdivision and I would like to go on records as being against turning the
tennis courts at Hobble Creek Park into Pickle Ball courts. I walk around the park daily with my dogs and I see
the courts being utilized more by tennis players than by pickle ball players. Please look elsewhere to install
pickle ball courts.
Email Comment:
This is wonderful that we may get designated Pickleball courts in Boise. It would be wonderful to have
tournaments in Boise and it is wonderful for people of all ages. Pickleball is the fastest growing sport. Every
pickleball player I have meant have been a wonderful influence on everyone around. It will be great for kids in
the summer to have a safe place to learn and play Pickleball. We have a couple (Tami & Nick Leach) who
donates their time to teach pickleball for the Boise community and anyone who signs up. That is how I learned
about it. It is a healthy activity for all ages. As of now there are very few places to play.
Please approve this area so we can have a place to play.
Email Comment:
Please retain the tennis courts in Hobble Creek Park. I do not know a single person that plays pickle ball. I know
hundreds that play tennis. They are an important asset to our neighborhood. Please keep them.
Email Comment:
To whom it may concern-I am a resident of the Hobble Creek subdivision and am constantly using the park with my family.
We use the tennis courts and ask to be able to keep them. More often than not, they are in use when we are at
the park.
My children also use the cement area to the south of the tennis courts to rollerblade, ride scooters, bikes, etc.
The cement area is nice because it is smoother than the asphalt path around the perimeter of the park.
Quite often on the weekends, I see a group of people using the cement area to play cricket as well.
14
I don't know much about pickle ball, but have seen a group of older people playing what I assume to be pickle
ball once or twice in the 4 1/2 years that we have lived here.
I am not opposed to having pickle ball courts put in, but would like to be able to continue using the other
amenities that are currently available as well. Please keep the tennis courts!
Email Comment:
I am writing as a resident of Hobble Creek subdivision regarding the tennis courts in Hobble Creek park. We
have two boys ages 7 and 10 who are learning to play tennis and we use the courts often. We love that we can
just walk to the courts and our whole family can play. If the courts are converted to pickleball we will have to
drive to get to a tennis court. As a college tennis player myself, one of the reasons we chose to purchase a home
in Hobble Creek was the easy access to a tennis court.
Email Comment:
Please keep tennis courts at Hobble Creek Park.
Email Comment:
Please leave the Tennis Courts in our park in place. It is a great service to
our surrounding communities to be able to have access to this facility.
Email Comment:
Kelly Burrow, Project Manager,
I am writing to you because I am unable to attend the public meeting on May 19, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. at Cecil
Andrus Elementary regarding the proposed pickleball facility at Hobble Creek Park. I wanted to express my
support for the conversion of the existing tennis courts to pickleball courts and for the installation of additional
courts on the concrete slab adjacent to the tennis courts.
I am a 69 year old male and I enjoy playing the fast growing sport of pickleball. Boise does not have any
dedicated pickleball courts in its park system. This is a perfect central location and opportunity to provide this
service to the community. Pickleball is an age friendly sport and for those who play it regularly it helps improve
mental and physical health. It also allows people to create new friendships and lifetime memories. It would be a
real plus to me and the community to have a central place where we could play this fun sport.
Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me. Thanks.
Email Comment:
The tennis courts at Hobble Creek Park need to stay!!!!! It would be a great disservice to our community to take
away these courts that are used by so many different age groups. Not to mention tennis is taught in the schools
that surround this area and these kids use these courts to practice when they are not aloud on school grounds.
Email Comment:
It was very disappointing to see Boise city considering removing the tennis courts from our neighborhood park.
We enjoy and use those tennis courts regularly. It is a great asset to our neighborhood and park and will
definitely fight to keep them in our park. Please do not remove our tennis courts!!!!
Email Comment:
15
Please do not change or eliminate the Hobble Creek Park tennis courts.
Instead, as has been suggested by Frank & Estelle Peak, please take a facility with unused space like McDevitt
and build the pickle ball courts, or take a facility with 6-8 courts and create the environment there, so both
sports can be served.
Email Comment:
Hello,
I will not be able to attend the meeting next Tuesday evening regarding adding more pickle ball courts to
Hobble Creek. I would like to put my "vote" to add additional pickle ball courts to the Park's existing tennis
courts. I live in the Capital H.S. area, and Hobble Creek is the closet park to play pickleball.
There is a great need to add add'l p.b. courts to Boise's Parks as currently there are only a couple parks that have
these courts. I would also like to mention at this time, the need for indoor courts in the Boise area. Currently, I
have found that only Ft. Boise offers indoor court use-and that is only on Fridays.
Email Comment:
Hi Kelly,
My family uses the tennis courts all summer and we would really miss them if they turned into pickleball.
We would prefer you chose another location for this Pickleball Complex that you would like to build.
Email Comment:
My children love to use them and often find them busy. I think it would be a great loss to our community if they
were removed for pickle ball courts.
Email Comment:
I am in favor of the pickle ball courts being constructed at the YMCA park. I use the two current courts (there
are pickleball stripes on the tennis courts) all summer. I will not be able to attend the hearing but wanted to add
I live within 2 miles of the YMCA and consider this park to be in my backyard.
Email Comment:
I received the postcard in the mail about the proposed change to the Hobble Creek tennis courts and want to
speak out against changing those to pickleball courts. While I've only used them a few times, I intend to do so
much more as my daughters get older. Every time we take our kids to the playground there we always see tennis
players though. Rarely are there times when they're not being used. I don't really have an objection to the
concrete slab being used for pickleball courts, but am strongly against taking out two great tennis courts to make
room for pickleball. Thank you for notifying us before changes were made.
Email Comment:
I would like to record my opinion as being opposed to the pickleball proposal for Hobble Creek park. My
reasons are as follows:
•
My biggest objection is that your proposal would eliminate tennis courts and adjacent cement pad from
any other purpose. As it is today, it is multipurpose, with tennis courts available for use by both tennis
and pickleball and the cement pad available and being used for pickleball, cricket, roller hockey, and
park gatherings such as YMCA swim meets and the annual neighborhood 4th of July pancake breakfast.
Line paintings for 4 pickleball courts already exist. Converting those to create 8 more to be used
exclusively for pickleball would prohibit all other activities currently using that area.
16
•
This area is already set up for pickleball (though probably not ideal and only 4 courts) however I see
more people playing tennis there than I see playing pickleball. By popularity, therefore, tennis should
remain available.
•
My house is located on the opposite side of the park, about 250 yards away, from where this area is. I
can hear the pickleball pop popping within my home when the windows are open. It is a hard plastic ball
hitting a wooden paddle. Having games on 12 courts would generate quite a racquet.
•
According to the website, TennisRound, (http://www.tennisround.com/tennis-courts/id/boise) the
Hobble Creek tennis court is the only Boise public court west of Milwaukee. See the attached
MapBoiseTennisCourts.jpg which I generated from that site. Marker B is the Hobble Creek tennis court.
Two schools nearby (markers A and C) have tennis courts but they are school property with its
associated restrictions. Eagle has one public (N) and one school court (green dot). Meridian has one
public (O) and three school (T and two green dots) courts. In contrast, Boise, east of Milwaukee, has
over 30 locations at parks, schools, and clubs. 21 are visible in this map image (markers and green dots.)
Eliminating this one and only west Boise public tennis court when there are so many others in central
Boise does not make sense.
I am not opposed to pickleball being played here (aside from the annoying pop-popping.)
I am opposed to losing all the other amenities that would result if you carry out your proposal. Creating a new
area, pouring new cement, would be an option but I don't know where that could be done. Hobble Creek park is
already being used extensively for games and practices for soccer, football, baseball, volleyball, lacrosse, and
cricket. It is also used for its playground north of the tennis courts, a play area for Andrus Elementary children,
and a gathering area for parties, socials, and Boise Police-sponsored National Night Out.
The McDevitt park has some undeveloped dirt area. Is it being used for other activities?
Email Comment:
I have heard that Boise Parks and Rec is considering converting our tennis courts to pickle ball courts. Our
family uses the tennis courts and we would miss them. Any way we can just add pickle ball courts in a different
location and keep the tennis courts? The tennis courts are a great asset to our neighborhood park.
Email Comment:
Dear Mr. Burrows,
Please do not allow cement pad behind the YMCA to be converted to a 12 court pickleball complex.
Hobble Creek cannot sustain the impact of a 12 court pickleball complex which will surely be used for
tournaments over days, nights & weekends. There is not adequate parking and will displace the cricket folks
who are part of our community in the apartments who play there regularly, and will bring droves of adult
strangers to our family-centric park days, nights, and weekends. A Tournament complex of this size, and the
only one in all of Boise, belongs at places like Ann Morrison, Julia Davis, Fort Boise, Optimist fields perhaps,
or one of the other 27 tennis sites that Boise Parks and Rec. manages in more Eastern non-neighborhood areas.
These other locations have much bigger parking availability and are out of the center of a family neighborhoods.
It seems, that Boise City planners could find many other "Specialty Use sites" that the Pickle people could go to.
Additionally, with the Elementary School of 635 young children, the YMCA day care, and ongoing youth
programs, and untold numbers of youth and their families at the park at any given night for baseball, lacrosse,
soccer & football, I feel that our Hobble Creek Neighborhood Park will become excessively overcrowded. On a
more personal note, and I know this is not indicative of the whole pickle ball community, I had an experience
17
where one of the pickleball players watched me while I ran. He called out to me and even timed my laps over
weeks. I became afraid and chose alternate running routes for months to avoid this person. I also would not let
my children go to the park alone and especially during the morning pickle ball hours. The point being,it is one
thing for families to come to the park to watch them play sports, play with them at the park. It is important for
our neighborhood community of all ages to have access to the park that our home properties surround. However,
it is an entirely different thing to allow a significantly increased adult stranger population from communities
outside of our area, as far away as other States, to descend upon, and take over our family-centric, neighborhood
park. I think this far exceeds the use designed for Hobble Creek Park and our neighborhood community. Please
find an alternate location for the pickleball complex.
Thank you for allowing our neighborhood to make comments on proposed Hobble Creek Park changes.
Email Comment:
Maybe one or two pickle ball courts for resident of Hobble Creek community. Not a tournament complex for
pickle ball. This is a neighborhood park and not should be treated as such.
Email Comment:
I am writing to offer my enthusiastic support for the proposed pickleball court complex at Hobble Creek Park.
I have observed first hand the healthy camaraderie which the sport encourages as evidenced by the growth of the
sport at the Fort Boise Community Center over this last winter. Starting with just a few players in the fall, we
grew to a large and enthusiastic group of players by the end of May.
There are many opportunities for recreation offered by the City of Boise and pickleball certainly deserves to
have its place among them with a dedicated pickleball court complex. Other cities have shown that a facility
such as this is good for the city and good for its people. It would be a win-win for both.
Email Comment:
Hello,
My family and I live in the Hobble Creek subdivision and we use the Hobble Creek Park virtually every day. I
have heard that the tennis courts in the park may be repurposed. I ask that you please reconsider that proposal.
My family and many others use those courts regularly for tennis. Demand for those courts is high - it is not
uncommon for us or others to wait for open tennis courts because so many people play tennis there.
I know some citizens are interested in playing pickleball, but I ask that you please consider other parks/facilities
to accommodate those users. Perhaps there are other parks that could more readily accommodate those
purposes.
Email Comment:
Please consider a park in eastern Meridian for this.
Hobble Creek is crowded with YMCA programs, playground, cricket, tennis, baseball, lacrosse, youth soccer,
youth football, picnics, pugs, swim meets and on...
Please don't add pickle ball here.
Email Comment: Good morning Kelly,
18
I am writing to encourage you to reconsider the pickle ball courts at our neighborhood park, Hobble Creek.
Please locate the pickle ball courts at one of the larger municipal parks in the city better suited to the activity,
with adequate parking, no adjacent school, and no adjoining neighborhoods.
Email Comment:
To whom it may concern,
I have been made aware that the city of Boise is wanting to build 12 pickle ball courts in our neighborhood park.
While this may be a need for pickle ball enthusiasts, it would be disappointing to see these added to our small
neighborhood park. We moved here 3 years ago because of the small, quiet neighborhood feel. We enjoy the
safety we feel as we go to the park, and we feel that adding the pickle ball complex will eliminate that feeling by
attracting hundreds of strangers to the park. A pickle ball complex this size should be added to a much larger
park like Julia Davis, Anne Morrison, or Fort Boise, and not to our little small neighborhood park. We are not in
favor of this proposal and would like to see it be moved somewhere else.
Email Comment:
Dear Neighbors,
I actually just spoke to Kelly Burrows at Parks and Rec to see how things are going. He said the city is going to
amend the proposal to keep tennis BUT put in a 12 court pickle ball complex on the back cement pad
for tournaments and such. They will send out a revised announcement.
However, I don't think this is good either because there is not adequate parking and will displace the cricket
folks who are part of our community in the apartments and will bring droves of adult strangers to our familycentric park days, nights, and weekends. A Tournament complex of this size, and the only one in all of Boise,
belongs at places like Ann Morrison, Julia Davis, Fort Boise, Optimist fields perhaps or one of the other 27
tennis sites that Boise Parks and Rec. manages in more Eastern non-neighborhood areas. These other locations
have much bigger parking availability and are out of the center of a family neighborhoods.There are many other
"Specialty Use sites" that the Pickle people could go to.
Additionally, with the Elementary School of 635 young children, the YMCA day care and ongoing youth
programs, and untold numbers of youth and their families at the park at any given night for baseball, lacrosse,
soccer & football, I feel that our Hobble Creek Neighborhood Park will become excessively overcrowded. On a
more personal note, and I know this is not indicative of the whole pickle ball community, I had an experience
where one of the Pickle ball players watched me while I ran. He called out to me and even timed my laps. I
became afraid and chose alternate running routes for months to avoid this person. I also would not let my
children go to the park alone and especially during the morning pickle ball hours. The point being,it is one thing
for families to come to the park to watch them play sports, play with them at the park. It is important for our
neighborhood community of all ages to have access to the park that our home properties surround. However, it
is an entirely different thing to allow an adult stranger population from communities outside of our area as far
away as other States to descend upon and take over our neighborhood park . I think this far exceeds the use
designed for Hobble Creek Park and our neighborhood community.
Please continue to express opinion to Boise Parks & Rec that the pickleball sports complex needs to be located
elsewhere - outside of Hobble Creek Park. [email protected]
Email Comment:
19
Thank you for hearing our concerns and please consider locating the pickle ball courts elsewhere in Boise.
Email Comment:
Unfortunately my wife and I will be out of town when the public meeting about the proposed pickleball
complex is scheduled to take place.
Although we won't be at the meeting I wanted to take the opportunity to express our enthusiastic support for this
project. I believe this court can contribute greatly to the public and economic health of Boise.
My wife and I recently retired and took up pickleball as a means to get fit, meet people and find something we
enjoy. Pickleball has exceeded our expectations in meeting each of these goals. Pickleball is a fast growing
sport that is attractive not only to us aging baby boomers but to a wide range of ages and athletic ability. We
normally play in the mornings at the Homecourt YMCA. During the last year we have seen players all the way
from their early teens to seniors well into their 80's. A number of these are "retired" tennis players who find
they can no longer cover a whole tennis court but can use their racquet skills to excel in a whole new game.
A dedicated facilty opens the possibilities to scheduled play, recreational leagues, community education and
regional tournaments. My wife and I recently attended a tournament in Walla Walla that has a smaller facility
that was still able to sponsor a tournament with 80 players plus spouses, children etc. contributing to the local
economy during a fun filled weekend. Having this type of facility in the area opens the door to similar
opportunities in Boise.
We feel strongly that having dedicated pickleball courts at Hobble Creek will be a great asset to citizens of all
ages in the Boise and adjacent communities as well as people who are visiting our city. Our hope is that you will
approve this venture.
Email Comment:
Hi,
My name is Manas. I stay in renaissance apartment at Hobble Creek Boise.
I got your email id from one of my friends.
Actually We play Cricket in the ground(concerete section) on every weekend on regular basis.
We are almost 25 people who play this game at the concrete near to tennis court.
We came to know that you are thinking to turn that concrete place to court for another game.
It will be our humble request to you to please consider to remain the concrete as it is. We have been playing
there from last 3-4 years and we really love to play the game. We are completely dependent on that concrete to
play the game.
I am sending on behalf of our every cricket players. I can collect their petitions as well.
Please consider our request.
Email Comment:
20
Mr. Burrows,
I live in the Hobble Creek subdivision. I oppose the proposal to convert the existing tennis courts into
paddleball courts, and add 4 permanent paddleball courts on the adjacent concrete slab. Here is the reasoning:
Paddleball is a sport generally played by older adults. Tennis is played by participants of all ages, from children
through older adults. Hobble Creek is a community park, primarily servicing the needs of the surrounding
community. The demographics of the surrounding community is predominantly families with children.
Therefore I believe the existing tennis courts are a more appropriate facility than a paddleball complex would
be.
I think the current arrangement is an appropriate compromise between paddleball and tennis. The two tennis
courts can be used as paddleball courts, and there are two additional courts painted on the adjacent cement slab
which can be used with portable paddleball nets. Paddleball players tend to use these facilities in the mornings,
when youth are generally at school (or still asleep in the summer....), and the neighborhood youth and families
use the tennis courts for tennis after school, or throughout the day on non-school days.
The cement slab adjacent to the tennis courts is used for a variety of other activities throughout the year which
require a large, hard surface. this includes inline skating, skateboarding, setting up pavillions during swim
meets at the YMCA (saving the adjacent grass from foot traffic), the Hobble Creek Subdivision community
events such as 4th of July community breakfast and bike parades. Others have also commented on the use by
the local Indian community for a modified version of cricket. In the past (and perhaps in the future), a roller
hockey league used this area for games and practices. A dedicated paddleball facility on this area would service
only the paddleball community. It make more sense to leave the cement slab as an open flexible space, thereby
enabling use for a wide variety of activities. There is room for 4 temporary courts to be situated on the slab, so
perhaps the lines for 4 courts could be painted on the slab, giving the paddleball community the ability to have 6
courts in operation.
Thank you for soliciting comments and opinions on this topic. I appreciate that you are working to find the best
use of our city's assets
Email Comment:
I would love to have more pickle ball courts. There always are people waiting to play at the courts.
I am also teaching my grand children to play. I am in hopes there will be more courts .
Email Comment:
Dear Mr. Burrows,
Thanks very much for your work on the Hobble Creek Pickleball Project. The following is provided to you in
support of that project, especially the creation of 14 PB courts. My reasoning comes from 60 years of tennis
experience, followed by extensive involvement in PB after discovering the wonderful new sport 3 years ago at
the age of 72. Hopefully, my experience in tennis and PB will help our community more fully understand the
great need and benefits of the Hobble Creek PB Project:
Personal Background: In tennis: Former President & Board Member of the Boise Racquet & Swim Club,
Idaho’s largest & one of the largest tennis facilities in the Northwest. State tennis titles in every decade since
age 14, a regional title, and qualified & played national tourneys, including the father-daughter nationals at the
US Open against other regional champions. Former Board member of the Idaho Youth Tennis Foundation and
21
co-creator of the largest youth tennis tourney in Idaho. In PB: State titles in Idaho, Oregon, and Arizona, Silver
medal in the 2014 Nationals, and ranked among the top senior players in the country.
Perspective on Need for PB Courts:
1. Tennis growth has leveled while PB has exploded and become North America’s fastest growing sport. That
huge growth will increase with an aging population and as both older and younger people learn about
and start the sport. That’s especially happening because the game is not only very fun and sociable, but also
easy to learn and not as difficult as tennis. Communities are responding to its growing popularity, schools &
parks & recreation are increasingly beginning to teach it, etc.
2. Communities recognizing PB’s growth are benefiting economically, while those who haven’t are missing out
and falling rapidly behind its growth and benefit curve. For example, in Utah, Ogden and St. George have
greatly benefited economically via building PB courts, sponsoring tourneys, etc. But, sadly, Salt Lake, the
capital city, has fallen way behind. That could happen to Boise if Meridian/Eagle/Nampa were to beat us
building & supporting the sport. It is estimated that a weekend regional 100 player tournament alone could net
over $100,000.
3. Other entities are also either benefiting, or, are missing out. For example, in Arizona, many public entities &
private places have built 14, 18, and 24 court PB complexes, with many lighted, and some with stadium and
indoor courts. But, those not meeting that exploding need are losing patrons, buyers, tenants and the other
economic and social benefits of the sport.
4. I’ve personally seen around 30 different and major sites dedicated to PB in Washington, Utah, Nevada, and
Arizona. When being built, there were always questions about space, landscaping, noise, parking, restrooms,
other amenities, etc. To me, its really wonderful that the city has identified Hobble Creek for a dedicated PB
site, because the site already very well meets those important questions and basic needs. Congratulations on
your recognizing that! Hobble Creek almost seems like a park setting. Noise is not a problem because it is well
away from residences. I wish you could have opportunity to sit in on discussions in other places where many of
those issues had to be handled, and most much more expensively. Hobble Creek really is a perfect site in many
ways. It may not be as fancy as some other facilities & sites elsewhere in the country, but it is a great start for
our city!
5. Congratulations also for recognizing the need for more PB courts generally throughout the city. It has been
sad to drive throughout the city and very frequently see empty tennis courts everywhere… and, then go to the
few courts lined for PB and see them completely filled and with many players waiting on the sidelines to play.
PB is usually played as doubles, which doubles the participants on a court compared to tennis, where singles is
played much more frequently than PB singles. And, 3-4 PB courts can be built on the same space required and
almost the same cost for one tennis court! PB players have been admirably very patient about the huge court
need, especially when faced with resistance from some to simply painting PB lines so existing tennis courts
could be used for both tennis & PB. As an accomplished tennis player, I can confirm the fact that painted PB
lines are absolutely not a major distraction to playing tennis. It’s just like how the additional lines for
volleyball, etc on a basketball court are not a major distraction. To the contrary, it is simple and smart multipurpose usage of public property…which has been partly paid for by PB taxpayers, too.
5. I’ve observed that most neighbors nearby to PB courts, even those who initially wondered about them, have
come to really like them. After all, PB has already been played at Hobble Creek for around 6 years and this
project is just adding more courts so more can enjoy playing and watching the game. Many neighbors will
especially enjoy having first hand opportunity to conveniently watch top players compete at a very high level in
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tournaments that the facility will be able to sponsor. Additionally, whether they are older people, middle age,
young adults, teenagers, or kids, it also gives neighbors opportunity to learn a fun, new, healthy, inexpensive
sport…and, get to its location quickly. They will also find PB people to be a gracious, polite, and very social
people who are very willing to share the court, teach newcomers, and respectful to all. It is easy to learn and not
difficult to play. My wife and I have found wonderful new friendships in just our 3 short years in PB. I live by
Capital High and yesterday drove across town and way out on Federal Way to play outdoors, and frequently
drive to Meridian's Home Court YMCA to play indoors. It would be great to be a neighbor close to the new
Hobble Creek PB facility!
6. Please give serious consideration to funding 2 more courts on the cement slab (for a total of 6) and 14 courts
altogether. Similar to many (and, practically every one) of the 30 major entities I mentioned above have soon
found that they wish they had built more courts than they originally did, because of the continuing rapid growth
of the sport. As I understand it, the existing cement slab helps make the project very cost effective and the
overall setting requires minimal costs for more amenities.
7. Your choice of Hobble Creek as the geographic location is also excellent. It will draw, of course, Boise
people, but also people from Eagle, Meridian, and the rest of Treasure Valley…which will bring further
economic benefits to the city.
In closing, thank you for this opportunity to provide my perspective. And, especially, thank you for your
ongoing support and work on this great project.
Email Comment:
Hello Boise Parks and Recreation,
Thank you for taking the time and effort to listen to our concerns regarding the site of a pickle ball complex.
While a Pickle Ball Complex sounds like a wonderful addition to the Boise community, we would like to
request that the Parks and Recreation consider building it in a park other than the Hobble Creek Park. We feel it
would overcrowd the park and negatively affect our own family's and our friends' and neighbor's use of the park.
We love the park (!!), by the way.
Email Comment:
Thank you for taking the time to inquire and listen to our neighborhood’s needs and concerns regarding the
possible changes to the tennis courts at the Hobble Creek park. My husband and I would still rather there not be
all the pickle ball courts put in because we worry that it would bring too many people to the park, overcrowd it
and possibly make it unsafe for the many children and teens who live here. Anything tournament sized and the
only one of its kind would increase traffic to the park in a negative way for our neighborhood.
Email Comment:
Good morning, Kelly.
I am a Meridian resident who lives less than 1.5 miles as the crow flies from the Hobble Creek Park.
I have used and plan to continue using HCP for pickleball play.
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I do hope that the plans to add more courts to the park are approved.
At the risk of sounding melodramatic, PB has saved my life or at least my sanity...
I was severely injured while riding my bike along the Greenbelt about four years ago. And changes to my health
have prevented me for exercising the same way I used to--intense cardiac for at least an hour a day .
PB allows me to achieve something close because it allows me to rest in between points while achieving the
intensity my body and mind craves.
And additionally it lets me meet great people and have fun!
I will be at the meeting tomorrow night in support of the courts at HCP.
Email Comment:
Project Manager,
I am unable to attend this Tuesday, May 19th Hobble Creek public meeting and would like to take this
opportunity to submit my comments on the proposed park changes.
My family lives in the Legends/Hobble Creek subdivision and we utilize the Hobble Creek park frequently, to
include the tennis courts. I am shocked to hear that the tennis courts may be converted -taken out/removed!
Our family currently has 2 students attending high school at Centennial (corner of McMillan & Cloverdale), one
of which is a freshman and plays on the high school tennis team.
I’m not sure if you are aware the high school also utilizes the Hobble Creek tennis courts due to the lack of court
space available to both junior varsity and varsity teams who. Both Lowell Scott Middle School and Centennial
High School operate with a shortage of tennis court space and rely on Hobble Creek Park to help support the
community; to include the adjoining schools and their sports. To my knowledge there are no other dedicated
tennis courts available in the nearby vicinity of the high school.
*If you are looking for space to create pickle ball courts perhaps the empty land not being utilized at McDevitt
Park on Eagle Rd & McMillan.
I, as well as my family hope Boise Parks & Recreation reconsider removing these tennis courts!!
Email Comment:
I am a resident of one of the surrounding neighborhoods to Hobble Creek Park, and I am unable to attend the
meeting tonight. I do have a concern about the proposed changes. My family has greatly benefitted from the
tennis courts during the last eight years we have lived in our home, and I know a number of other residents who
use those courts frequently. I would prefer to see the tennis courts stay, with the city using adjacent parts of the
park to build the pickle ball courts.
Email Comment:
Pickleball is growing so fast, we really need a place large enough to accommodate the growing interest.
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Email Comment:
I would like to add the names of my wife and myself to the list of those who would very much like to see the
new pickle ball courts become a reality. Be assured that they will be among the most utilized of the
recreational facilities in the city as the game grows in popularity.
Appreciate your consideration
Email Comment:
I am in full support of anything involved with Pickelball. It is such a great sport for all and would like to see
more courts and structured play (example: a rating system so you can play with people of my ability). I play in
Sun City West, Ariz. in the winter and lessons are offered.
Email Comment:
I am not in favor of the proposed changes to the park. As a frequent attender and user of the park, it does not
make sense to spend money on destroying two good tennis courts to turn them into pickleball courts. If
pickleball courts are needed, then build the four planned on the existing concrete. The tennis courts are used
very frequently and often times people are waiting to use them. Why take that away while there is low demand
for 12 pickleball courts in one park?
Email Comment:
I am a pickleball enthusiast and member of the Boise Area Pickleball Association. Pickleball is a sport that I
have been enjoying for five (5) years. I try to find a place to play 3-4 times per week. The interest in playing
pickleball in the Treasure Valley has grown considerably during this period. We are now seeing a large number
of retirees as well as those in their 20’s and 30’s playing the sport.
We are very thankful that the Boise and Meridian Parks and Recreation departments have chosen to make some
of the tennis courts dual use throughout the area; this has greatly improved the availability of pickleball courts
for casual play. It is also important that picklball courts be considered as our cities develop new parks and
recreation facilities as demand for places to play continue to expand.
Nationally, pickleball tournaments are held in various municipalities in other states. Idaho currently lacks a
regional tournament that would draw many in-state and out-of- state ranked players since we currently lack the
facilities to host such an event. It takes a large court complex consisting of at least 6 courts. Development of
the Hobble Creek facility with 12-14 courts would provide such a facility where large tournaments could be
held. Likewise, the Treasure Valley has the hotels and restaurants to make such tournaments successful.
The Hobble Creek facility could be developed to include not only courts but also seating for fans/players and
drinking water. The vision should be to develop a facility that will be very useful for years to come.
In summary, development of the Hobble Creek pickleball facility is in a great location with parking available
nearby and is a good distance away from residences. It would be a great asset to Boise Parks and Recreation
and the Treasure Valley. It will provide an excellent place to practice and play tournaments during the spring to
fall time period. The Boise Area Pickleball Association strongly supports development of this facility.
Email Comment:
Is there a reason why the tennis courts have to go? I am not in favor of converting the tennis courts to pickleball
courts. I would be in favor of having tennis courts and pickleball courts at the same facility.
Email Comment:
Please do not change the Hobble Creek tennis courts by converting them into pickleball courts. I am on the
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Centennial High Varsity Tennis Team and I use these courts a LOT. If these are converted, I will have a really
hard time finding a place to practice, as both the Lowell Scott Middle School and the Centennial High courts are
in high demand. I love the Hobble Creek subdivision because we live so close to a beautiful park and we have
tennis courts.
Please reconsider the pickleball plan. In fact, I would love if you would convert the cement pad into more
tennis courts.
Email Comment:
My family and I live in Hobble Creek and use the park quite frequently along with the tennis courts. I have
heard that there have been proposals to create pickleball courts out of these tennis courts and I would ask you to
please reconsider. My family and I , along with many others in the neighborhood, enjoy playing tennis on those
tennis courts and they are in high demand. For those people who want to play pickleball, there are pickleball
lines that are drawn on the tennis courts or maybe there are other parks that could create the courts for these
people.
Email Comment:
I am writing concerning the proposal to change the Hobble Creek Park tennis courts into pickleball courts.
Please don't change the tennis courts! I love playing tennis with my brother! We play many times each week.
Sometimes we run over there hoping the courts are empty. Many times they are full and we have to wait. I
would love it if you would consider adding tennis courts to the park. The demand seems very high. In my
opinion, making the park a pickle-ball complex would be disastrous and a good reason to move from this
neighborhood.
Please don't change the tennis courts!
Email Comment:
I am writing concerning the proposal to change the Hobble Creek tennis courts into pickleball courts. My
family and I live in the Hobble Creek subdivision and we use the Hobble Creek Park almost every day. Our son
plays on the Centennial High Tennis Varsity Team. We play tennis multiple times each week. I ask that you
please reconsider that proposal. My family and many others use those courts regularly for tennis. Demand for
those courts is high - it is not uncommon for us or others to wait for open tennis courts because so many people
play tennis there.
I know some citizens are interested in playing pickleball, but I ask that you please consider other parks/facilities
to accommodate those users. Perhaps there are other parks that could more readily accommodate those
purposes. I would love it if the extra cement there could be used for additional tennis courts.
Email Comment:
We support the addition of the Hobble Creek multicourt complex. Pickleball is one of the fastest growing
sports in the nation, and the Boise area does not have enough courts to support the growth. Senior citizens
comprise the majority of the population and many enjoy playing pickleball. We hope you find in favor of this
project.
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Email Comment:
Dear Kelly,
I DO NOT support any pickleball courts at this time. I would rather see existing/current uses adequately served
and accommodated first, before bringing outside uses into the park.
In other words, ONLY a reduced-scale project (possibly halve the number of courts proposed) and only as part
of a broader plan to upgrade the park FIRST with proper soccer fields, lacrosse fields, a cricket field,
and possibly a third baseball field. The proposed area is an area currently used by an informal cricket club,
which already encroaches on other areas/uses. Reserving this area for pickleball would cause cricket play to
move into areas currently being utilized for soccer, lacrosse, and baseball games and practices. Also would not
like to see tennis courts use removed, these courts are currently being used and should not be removed.
Also there is already a parking issue with respect to many other uses - YMCA overflow for swim and other
events; baseball, soccer, lacrosse, and other sport games and practices; and Andrus Elementary school events.
Installing enough pickleball courts to host tournament play would exacerbate and compete with existing park
uses and parking issues. Again, current needs should be addressed FIRST before bringing outside uses into the
park.
Practically speaking, being the "park behind the Y" means that the park serves a variety of youth and family uses
above all others. I personally believe this to mean no preference to any one sport should be given, to the
exclusion of others (opportunity cost). This means fields should be built out first for supporting youth and
family uses first BEFORE considering a sport with an older demographic (pickleball). This also means not
going overboard on any one particular sport / use that would monopolize the park for tournaments and encroach
on other uses. A few fields supporting a variety of sports should be encouraged, while domination / takeover by
any single sport should be discouraged.
By the way, I cannot make the meeting tonight because I have to drive to another location to attend my son's
soccer game tonight... which is not currently even an option available at Hobble Creek.
Email Comment:
Dear Mr. Burrows & Boise Parks and Rec. Staff,
Thank you very much for hosting the community meeting at Andrus last night. The information was very
helpful and alleviated many concerns.
Thank you for being willing to assist our cricket playing neighbors with a possible designated/designed area at
Hobble Creek.. Thank you for allowing the tennis courts to stay. Thank you for considering improving the
basketball court area behind the Y.
The information presented about the significantly fewer pickleball numbers during a tournament or league play
than the numbers attending Y swimming meets of 600+ weekly during summer months was reassuring. It was
additionally helpful to realize pickleball season is June - September. During these months park use is, indeed
significantly less busy. I appreciate the parking lot proposal expanding the back Y parking as that ground is
unused park space and would keep additional traffic to the back of the park.
With the provision for our cricket players, parking and design, I'd be happy to have pickleball come to Hobble
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Creek. The pickleball players are a nice group and we can all play happily at Hobble Creek.
I have communicated my interpretation of meeting details and outcomes with our Hobble Creek neighbors.
Please feel free to pass these sentiments on to the pickleball players.
Email Comment:
Hi, Kelly,
I would like to add my support to the plan for 12 new pickleball courts at Hobble Creek Park. I attended the
meeting last night. My impressions were:
1. Cricket players need a place to play in the park.
2. Three neighbors had concerns about fencing, park overuse, and pickleball courts taking up more of the grass
area of the park.
It seems like you can provide space for cricket, and the neighbors' fence problems can be taken care of easily.
The overuse problem was well-addressed when considering swimming events that have occurred for years
there. And based on your current plan, the new pickleball courts will only take up a very small portion of the
grassy areas in the park.
I did not see a major outcry from the neighborhood. Personally, I think once they learn about pickleball, they
will consider it an asset to their area. I wish the pickleball group had the opportunity to present to the neighbors
all the benefits and positive aspects of the sport. It just seemed like at last night's meeting, this was not the
proper forum.
I would like to thank you for supporting the growth of pickleball in the Treasure Valley. I would be happy to
help in any way I can to advance this project.
Email Comment:
Kelly,
I am sorry I was unable to attend last week's meeting. I live on Buttercup Court in Hobble Creek, and I have
some thoughts about the proposed changes. I walk or jog my toddler in the park practically every evening, so I
feel that I have a pretty good perspective on what facilities are being used.
Tennis Courts: More often than not, I see someone using the tennis court (one or both). I do on occasion see
someone playing pickleball there, but not terribly often, so I wouldn't recommend converting the existing tennis
courts.
Concrete Slab: I think making use of the concrete slab area is a good idea, however, I do have an alternate
suggestion. We seem to have a sizable Indian population in the area, and I often see them playing Cricket there.
I'm guessing there isn't a regulation cricket field anywhere in Boise. I know very little about Cricket, but I do
know it should be played on grass. I'm wondering if there is an area the right size in the park that could be
designated as a cricket field (I've attached a picture I pulled off Google). This actually has nothing to do with
the concrete slab area, but I mention it now, because that is where I've seen them playing.
Volleyball: I have almost never seen both volleyball sand pits being used, so I don't think we need more, but I
do pretty often see one or the other being used. So, I don't believe any change is needed here.
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Other than that, I'll just say it's a great park, and a lot of people use it every day.
Email Comment:
Honorable Commissioners,
I want to express my support for the proposed conversion of the existing tennis courts to pickleball courts and
for the installation of additional courts on the concrete slab adjacent to the tennis courts at Hobble Creek Park
for the following reasons:
•
I am a 69 year old male and I enjoy playing the fast growing sport of pickleball.
•
Boise does not have any dedicated pickleball courts in its park system.
•
This is a perfect central location and opportunity to provide this service to the community.
•
Pickleball is an age friendly sport and I play regularly.
•
I feel playing pickleball helps improve my mental and physical health.
•
It allows me the opportunity to create new friendships.
Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me. Thanks for your consideration of the
proposed installation of dedicated pickleball courts.
Email Comment:
Dear commissioners,
Thank you for listening to our request for Pickellball courts in the Treasure Valley. I am 65 years old and my
wife is 61. I began playing Pickellball approximately 4 years ago. I convinced my wife to start 2 years ago and
we are recruiting friends and family to play. It has been exciting to find a sport that so many of us can do at all
different levels that is fun, healthy and allows us to continue with age. Access to courts and location is so
important. We are sincerely trying to stay healthy and active and Pickellball has helped us do both. We
appreciate your support for these new courts
Email Comment:
I have sent you two attachments depicting pickleball growth. The first attachment includes numbers from our
records for Boise and surrounding areas.
Growth of Pickleball Players in Boise and Surrounding Areas over the last four and one half years:
August 2010 - August 2011
August 2011 - August 2012
August 2012 - August 2013
August 2013 - August 2014
August 2014 - June 2015
47 Players
136
231
371
445
The number of pickleball players has increased an average of 81 players per year with the largest increase over
the last eighteen months. We expect exponentional increases in future years.
From: "Justin Maloof", Executive Director of USAPA Board <[email protected]>
To: "Carson Spencer" <[email protected]>
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Places to play pickleball (North America): ↑134% over 36 months (Apr '13-Apr '15) for a total of 3,183 known
locations
Apr '14-Apr '15: 855 new locations for an ave. of 71 new locations per month
Apr '13-Apr '14: 564 new locations for an ave. of 47 new locations per month
Apr '12-Apr '13: 406 new locations for an ave. of 33 new locations per month
USAPA Membership: over the past 36 months, USAPA membership has increased 84% with the largest growth
period occurring over the past year. We project even larger increases over the next 12-18 months.
No known stats for international players but in addition to the US, there are National Governing Bodies in
Canada, Spain and India and we are aware of new organizations forming in England, France, Australia and
China who are all looking to join the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP).
We are anxiously waiting for new pickleball participation report from one of the top retail/manufacturer
associations who conducts studies each year for all recreational sports. I understand this will be the first year
they include a report for pickleball. If I receive that report in the next day or two, I will forward that number to
you as well.
Email Comment:
Dear Commissioners:
I am a pickleball enthusiast and member of the Boise Area Pickleball Association. Pickleball is a sport that I
have been enjoying for the past five (5) years. I try to find a place to play 3-4 times per week. The interest in
playing pickleball in the Treasure Valley has grown considerably during this period. We are now seeing a large
number of retirees as well as those in their 20’s and 30’s playing the sport.
We are very thankful that the Boise and Meridian Parks and Recreation departments have chosen to make some
of the tennis courts dual use throughout the area; this has greatly improved the availability of pickleball courts
for casual play. It is also important that picklball courts be considered as our cities develop new parks and
recreation facilities as demand for places to play continue to expand.
Nationally, pickleball tournaments are held in various municipalities in other states. Idaho currently lacks a
regional tournament that would draw many in-state and out-of- state ranked players since we currently lack the
facilities to host such an event. It takes a large court complex consisting of at least 6 courts. Development of
the Hobble Creek facility with 12-14 courts would provide such a facility where tournaments could be held.
Likewise, the Treasure Valley has the hotels and restaurants to make such tournaments very successful.
For those pickleball players like myself that like to play in tournaments the Hobble Creek facility is an excellent
spot to build a multi-court facility. The vision should be to develop a facility that will be very useful for years to
come.
I attended the May 19, 2015, public hearing concerning the Pickleball Court facility. The Boise Area Pickleball
Association and the Boise Pickleball Club are both in favor of the facility. Concerns were raised by the Cricket
group that use Hobble Creek park to have a place to play their sport. Hopefully, that can be accomplished in
other portions of the park. Concern was raised by at least one individual from the adjoining subdivision about a
multi-court facility at this location. Sometimes it is difficult for neighbors to understand that the park is public
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rather than a private park.
It is a relatively good location for several reasons:
1. It is several hundred yards from houses in the subdivision so noise should not be much of an issue.
2. There is considerable area to park nearby.
3. We likely would not have more that two (2) larger tournaments per year at this location. These would be
held sometime in the May-September time period.
4. Nice location within the greater Boise Area.
The Boise Area Pickleball Association strongly supports development of this facility. It would provide a great
location to not only practice our sport but also host a couple regional tournaments during the late spring to fall
period. We ask your support for development of this facility.
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