Pickleball courts for Woodfin; Asheville players urge the city to follow suit

As Woodfin launches its Pickleball Pilot Program, creating two low-cost public courts to gauge community interest in permanent facilities, members of Asheville's impassioned pickleball community continue to fight for courts, disappointed the city still has no dedicated playing space to offer.

Woodfin announced its new court options in an Aug. 4 news release, a potential first step toward dedicated courts if interest is high.

Christo Bubenik, both a spokesperson for Asheville Parks and Recreation and a volunteer with the Woodfin Parks and Greenways Advisory Committee, which proposed the pilot program, said he already saw "a few picklers playing before the press release went out."

Previous coverage: After yearslong fight, impassioned Asheville pickleball players call for dedicated courts

"As Woodfin embraces its growing reputation as a hot spot for outdoor recreation, I'd love to see permanent dedicated courts for picklers to use," Bubenik said.

In the meantime, after Woodfin commissioners approved the pilot program at their April 19 meeting, greenway advisory committee members and community volunteers converted a portion of the parking lot at Woodfin's Geneva Maney Park on Midwood Drive into two public pickleball courts.

The courts at Geneva Maney Park do not feature permanent nets, so players must bring their own.

Played with paddles and a hard, plastic whiffle-like ball, the sport has more than 2,000 active users registered on a popular pickleball scheduling site in Asheville. A single tennis court can accommodate two pickleball games at once, usually with four players each.

But while towns and municipalities surrounding Asheville begin to embrace the tennis-badminton-ping pong hybrid, which some players call the fastest growing sport in the country, Asheville's pickleballers say the city is falling behind the curve.

David Kelly, longtime player and among the crowd advocating for more courts, said there's progress being made, albeit at a "fairly hesitant manner."

"The signs are looking good, but the situation is still what it is: We are struggling to find places to play, and not have an unnecessary civil war with tennis," Kelly said.

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He reeled off a list of localities that are making moves, such as Hendersonville, which is taking steps to add pickleball courts; and Weaverville, Waynesville and Black Mountain, which either have dedicated courts or are on their way to securing them.

“That’s the pressure around us," Kelly said. "Asheville is a hub, so it’s kind of a shame that we are not actively participating. But I have hope.”

Not a new fight

It's not a new fight for Asheville pickleballers, but momentum has been growing in recent months.

In April, pickleball players began packing the back rows of Asheville City Council meetings, and have been to every meeting since, often sending one or two representatives up during public comment to lobby for their cause.

Christina Dupuch, among the speakers and a staunch advocate, said the group has heard good verbal support from City Council members and values its partnership with Asheville Parks and Recreation.

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“I want people to know that there is support both from the city and the county for a future vision of having dedicated pickleball courts," Dupuch said. "I think it would be fair to say that everything takes time, but I truly feel the sincere support when I talk to either groups of people."

Dupuch said they try to see it as a good thing when they watch the communities around them making strides.

"The demand is there, growth and smalls steps happening in various communities, but at the end of the day, we need a designated park," she said.

Bubenik said there has not been much movement on dedicated public courts in Asheville in recent months.

However, Parks and Recreation has recently partnered with local pickleball players to establish a summer league, host a beginner's course at Stephens-Lee Community Center and update the department's court rules.

"We've identified underutilized spaces on City-owned properties that could potentially house tournament-level and/or recreation-level pickleball courts," Bubenik said in an emailed statement.

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"Though no capital improvement funds were allocated in the current fiscal year for pickleball projects, we're thinking outside of the box to support the popular and growing sport (and tennis, which is also popular and growing) within our community."

Where can people in Asheville play?

Dupuch said that even at 7 a.m., it's not unusual for pickleballers at Asheville's dual-lined courts at Murphy-Oakley and Montford parks to be waiting in the wings for their turn to play.

There are 12 outdoor pickleball courts in the city and six indoors. None of them have permanent pickleball nets, and players must bring their own.

USA Pickleball Association Ambassador for Buncombe County, Yira Pia Sanchez, said its summer league, which is 75 people strong, has a waiting list since the city's courts can't meet the demand.

In Woodfin, she said the town will pursue dedicated courts if it finds the interest is there, "But in Asheville, we have already demonstrated that."

Sanchez noted pickleball is the only sport without a dedicated area in Asheville.

Player Claudia McGrath said pickleball "saved her life" in the middle of the pandemic, and said she has been disheartened to watch other communities take the step toward permanent courts, while Asheville remains in limbo.

Especially as a major tourist destination, she said many visitors expect to be able to show up to courts and play and are shocked they can't do so without a net.

“It’s really sad for Asheville, I think," McGrath said. A social sport, she said it is a way for community to come together. She encouraged everyone to visit the Summer League awards night at Rabbit, Rabbit Aug. 21.

Next steps?

Kelly said the Asheville pickleball community is considering seeking nonprofit status, which would allow them to apply for additional funding, such as tourism dollars from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority and other North Carolina recreation grants.

He and Sanchez said they will continue to work with the city and county and seek other community partnerships to make dedicated courts possible.

"We are getting a lot of positive feedback, not necessarily positive action,” Kelly said.

“I would say this next year is going to be pretty important. No more talk. Action is going to be required. This is not going away. … They will be overrun, and that makes no sense when you could see this coming for years.”

Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. News Tips? Email shonosky@citizentimes.com or message on Twitter at @slhonosky. 

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Woodfin launches pickleball program, Asheville demands more courts