San Francisco is getting more pickleball courts

Eight new pickleball courts are coming to Larsen Playground in West Portal.

What's happening: The city's Recreation and Park Commission last week unanimously voted to convert existing tennis and basketball courts into dedicated, permanent pickleball courts.

• The conversion is estimated to cost up to $300,000.

Context: The city has a number of pickleball courts — including 59 outdoor courts and five indoor facilities — but just 11 dedicated courts. The additional eight courts will bring the total number of dedicated courts to 19.

• To unlock the sport for a broader swath of San Franciscans, more dedicated courts are needed, Hans Carter of the San Francisco Pickleball Community previously told Axios.

What they're saying: Some pickleball players are excited about the courts, while others worry Larsen Playground will be too windy to play the sport, which uses a whiffle ball.

• "It's gonna be garbage," pickleball advocate Bill Lafferty told the SF Standard.
• But Peg Stevenson of the Tennis Coalition of San Francisco said "it's a huge win" for the pickleball community.

What's next: The courts are expected to be completed by early next year.

• During construction at Larsen Playground, pickleball players in the area can still play at Stern Grove.