During some recent Township Council meetings, there have been discussions concerning use of Livingston’s pickleball courts. Specifically, there are several intertwining issues that the town is trying to address at the behest of residents.Those who live near the courts have complained about excessive noise, particularly during the early morning hours on weekends. The courts are also quite crowded, including many players who are not from Livingston, prohibiting access for some residents. Additionally, those who wish to enjoy non-competitive games with families or children have had difficulty doing so, as “round robin” tournaments regularly fill all available courts.We are thrilled that our recreational courts are getting such use, but it certainly sounds like it is past time to fix what has become an untenable situation. We are pleased to see that Council and township officials are taking action. We hope there will be a solution that is amicable to all by the spring, and it sounds like the start of one may already be in the works.At the last Council meeting, it was mentioned that soon, a Community Pass would be required for use of the courts. The cost would be minimal to residents but likely around 15 times as much for those from out of town. This should please those who wish to limit the amount of non-residents utilizing Livingston’s courts.There was also talk of converting tennis courts at Northland Park into additional pickleball courts. The two pickleball locations could then be separated into competitive and free play games, with one spot being designated for each.We did not hear any discussion about addressing the noise concerns of residents in the early morning hours, though at previous meetings there were talks about moving the hours of operation to begin later in the morning.These talks are expected to continue at future meetings, where we will hear directly from the township’s recreation department on the matter, but together, these three points seem like a valid way to address the concerns of residents. We look forward to hearing more of this plan, and hope it can appease all who are invested in it. While there are surely some passionate pickleballers in town who will endure the brutal cold to play, we are lucky to have a few months to settle this matter before games pick up as the weather warms.
