Dallas Homeowners In A Pickle Over Pickleball Played At Churchill Park

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Some homeowners in Dallas are in a pickle over pickleball. The sport, which is a hybrid of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, is all the craze, but the noise is driving some neighbors crazy.

It has become the daily soundtrack at Andy Steinberg's home. Pickle ball - a sport with a silly name that's left a sour taste in his mouth.

"It is extremely loud," he said of the sport that uses a solid paddle with a perforated plastic ball or pickleball. "You can't enjoy back here, which they're 15 feet from the fence line, 30 feet from sharing nachos with me watching TV."

It's a noise he said he hears seven days a week ever since Dallas converted a tennis court at Churchill Park - starting at sunrise.

"I know there's a group that likes to play until 10 o'clock at night on Tuesday nights, so that is very enjoyable for no one,?" said Sternberg. "To drown out the noise, you have to have the TV volume up to where I need hearing aids or something."

He's asked the city to reconsider the placement of the pickle ball court. Council Member Lee Kleinman said they're planning to expand the program.

"Hopefully what'll also happen is more opportunities to play pickleball other places will spread out some of the utilization away from this one court," he said.

He said they've asked players to be courteous to neighbors and have ordered a noise-dampening system to attach to the Steinberg's fence. Dallas Park and Recreation said all future courts near homes will have the same noise-blocking mats. Steinberg said it's not enough.

"Go back to playing inside until we can come up with a good solution for everyone," he said. "It's great. Play pickle ball. I don't care. Just not 15 feet from my house."

He's also concerned about the impact on property values. He has hired an attorney and will continue to fight.