Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America and has become increasingly popular in Goleta. Due to the increased interest in the sport and demand for more courts, the City is considering a proposal to renovate existing tennis courts located behind the Goleta Community Center (GCC) into permanent pickleball courts. The Parks and Recreation Commission discussed the Goleta Valley Community Center’s proposal at a special meeting on November 18, and supported the proposal. The proposal includes the resurfacing and renovation of the existing tennis courts into four permanent pickleball courts and a fifth court that will be re-striped to continue to accommodate both basketball and temporary pickleball, serving two recreational uses. 

Goleta Valley Community Center (GVCC) temporarily converted one of the courts at the GCC to a temporary pickleball court in the fall of 2019. In late Spring of 2020, the popularity increased and the one court in high demand, was expanded to four additional temporary courts in the existing tennis courts. This has been extremely popular, and the temporary pickleball courts are in near constant use.

A recording of the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting is available here, and the staff report can be read here. City Council will receive a presentation on this proposal in the new year. Information on the City Council meeting will be available ahead of time at www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings.

Pictured: Pickleball players Mark Sabens, Jared Ingram, Vince Kosek, and Brandon Gregorio at the Goleta Community Center courts