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Pickleball-related noise remains a consideration for installation of new courts

May 7, 2026   ·   0 Comments

Council selects Tottenham Community and Fitness Centre as location for new pickleball courts

By Brian Lockhart

It is a popular, fast-growing sport, and enthusiasts love playing outdoors on a nice, sunny day.

Pickleball has increased in popularity across North America, and municipalities have recognized the need for facilities to help the sport grow and accommodate leagues and players. Locally, pickleball courts were installed at parks in New Tecumseth.

However, one thing that was not considered when towns and cities began building courts for this new sport was the noise the activity would create.

Played with a hard paddle and a hard plastic ball, the combination produces a distinctive ‘pop’ sound every time someone hits the ball.

The sound quickly became a source of frustration for those living near a pickleball court. In some places, residents complained that the ‘pop pop pop’ sound persisted all day, disturbing their home life and mental health.

In Niagara-on-the-Lake, the municipality ordered the closure of popular local pickleball courts after receiving numerous complaints from neighbours and determining they were violating the local noise bylaw.

New Tecumseth council received a report at its April 27 council meeting regarding possible sites for the installation of two pickleball courts in Tottenham.

The report identified the need for pickleball courts while examining the effects of court noise on the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Six potential locations were considered, with Keogh Park and the Tottenham Community and Fitness Centre ranking highest based on site selection criteria. Keogh Park is identified as the preferred location as it meets recommended setback guidelines without requiring additional sound mitigation beyond the approved project budget.

New Tecumseth’s Parks, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan identified the need for five additional pickleball courts by 2030 to align with a provision rate of one court per 5,000 residents, and to accommodate anticipated population growth.

The report identifies concerns with sound from the courts from nearby residents.

A busy pickleball court can generate around 600 to 900 ball impacts per hour, or up to 10,800 impacts per day. Individual ‘pops’ have been measured at 70 to 85 dBA at a distance of 39 metres, which is comparable to the sound level of an alarm clock.

To stop the sound from travelling, sound mitigation measures include walls approximately 3.0 metres in height, constructed of sound-absorbing glass or wire mesh, with noise-attenuating panels.

Specific criteria were used to evaluate possible sites for pickleball courts.

This included the distance of courts from surrounding residential properties, street parking availability, a parking lot on site, and permanent washrooms.

Council discussed the pros and cons of the two main locations with the Tottenham Community and Fitness Centre, which was decided as the best location for new pickleball courts.

Council passed a motion to approve Tottenham Community and Fitness Centre as the recommended location for new pickleball courts. 

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