Letter: Tennis should not lose out for pickleball’s sake

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Editor,

At the recent February City Council workshop, the subject of how to provide a place for pickleball players that they could meet and play was an agenda item. Pickleball is indeed a growing sport, here and all over the country, and they need a place of their own. In spite of the obvious similarities, pickleball and tennis require different size courts, nets and fencing. As a life-long tennis player and more recent pickleball player, I appreciate their wishes, but I don’t want tennis players to lose a resource when we have fought for and maintained this resource as our only day time use courts for much of the year.

At the same City Council workshop, the city met with representatives of the Oak Harbor School Board and discussed ways in which they could work together. It is my understanding from talks held with the Oak Harbor Parks Department head that an effort to form a Metropolitan Parks District has been proposed but has not come to full fruition yet. One of the astute points that several city council members made was that they want to solution to be collaborative and not a win/lose scenario. This cause is the perfect opportunity to move this issue forward and calls for the necessity to have everyone with an “iron in the fire” involved as it is chiefly constituents from their district that are asking for this resource.

The North Whidbey Parks District has too long been regarded as “the Pool District” and, indeed, they provide very little in resources when compared with the South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District and charge taxpayers more per assessment then South Whidbey Parks and Rec. They should be included in any discussions regarding additional resources and costs.

It would be unfortunate to lose the existing courts at Rotary Park. People will continue to play on these courts even though they are in poor condition even if additional courts temporary or permanent are constructed. Myself and my family play pickleball there occasionally and it is a wonderful, centrally located, visible resource. Ft. Nugent Park will never have the centrality and visibility for kids and adults. A joint effort to address this situation would also allow everyone’s voice to be heard. Please work on a joint solution that will not pit players against each other. Multi-sport courts may seem like a solution but in reality everyone dislikes the many lines that complicate enjoying play.

Barbara Strother

Oak Harbor