Pickleball is causing a bit of a stir in Singapore—though not exactly in the best of ways.
Recently, a resident of one of the country’s many condominiums—One Fort—complained to the Member of Parliament and Marine Parade Town Council (MPTC) about what she says has been the unbearable noise of pickleball games being held at the courts near Block 14 Kampong Arang Road, beside Katong Community Centre.
“What started as a small weekend activity during Covid-19 has now become a daily nuisance,” the complainant told Singapore’s Stomp. “It’s affecting our mental wellness. I live on the 10th floor and have irregular working hours due to the nature of my work. I have resigned to wearing earplugs which still do not block off the noises. I’m distressed! My ears are also infected from the constant use of earplugs.”
When Fun and Games Get in the Way of Others’ Lives
The complainant added that games are played pretty much every day, usually between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. The games, according to her, stretch all the way to late night to early morning during weekends.
While the complainant rued the noise, she made it clear in her email to AsiaOne they “support the government’s initiative to promote active lifestyles” but are hoping it finds a way “to balance recreational activities with residents’ well-being.”
The MPTC has responded accordingly and has resorted to putting up signage that encourages players to play at specified times only.
“Our team has visited the site and engaged with some of the court users to remind them to be mindful of their noise levels and the surrounding community,” a town council spokesperson said. “In consideration of the well-being of nearby residents, we will be displaying a sign at the court to encourage users to limit their games to between 9:30 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. In addition, advisories have been placed on-site to remind users to keep noise levels down and to consider using quieter sports equipment. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
Said complaint is the latest lodged against the supposedly unbearable and annoying noises from pickleball games as residents from other locales have also complained of the same.
In February, a Marine Parade resident said he was losing sleep due to daily matches at a nearby court. Things evidently reached a boiling point back in June when someone living in a condominium unit in Telok Blangah threw a stone at picklers playing on a nearby outdoor court.
Ball’s in Our Court Now, Fellow Picklers
To be clear, the complaints aren’t targeting the sport itself but rather the noise made by the paddle hitting the ball, which admittedly can be unnerving to non-players. Even so, picklers in Singapore—or anywhere else, for that matter—need to take such complaints seriously if they want pickleball to gain greater acceptance and maybe even win over a few more players.
The good thing here is that picklers like us don’t need to do anything special or drastic. We just need to be conscious of other people and be respecting of their rights to privacy, silence, and a good night’s sleep. Yes, we’re all for fun and games—but it shouldn’t be to the point that we’re bothering others.