Adams Township pulls about-face on pickleball surfaces
ADAMS TWP — Supervisors Chairman Russell Ford announced Monday night, May 13, that the township had reversed its decision to install a controversial synthetic surface at the four new pickleball courts soon to be built at Adams Township Community Park.
The township has instead gone with a surface similar to one used on outdoor tennis courts — an acrylic surface on top of an asphalt base.
“The public spoke, we looked into it, and we figured this might be a good alternative,” Ford said.
Both Ford and township parks and recreation director Brian Perry said the tipping point in the decision was an article published last month in the Butler Eagle about the pickleball courts at the park.
“I only had one official complaint, which was the gentleman who sent that complaint into the Butler Eagle,” Perry said. “After the article was written, I had about three more complaints.”
The previous surface, manufactured by Mateflex, is a waffle-shaped synthetic material placed atop a concrete base, and already is installed at the township’s four existing pickleball courts. Local players have criticized the surface for causing unnatural bounce patterns and potentially increased risk of injury.
Perry said there should not be much difference in the cost of the new surface, and it may actually be less expensive.
“We’ll be using an asphalt surface instead of a concrete surface, so that brings the cost down a lot,” Perry said. “Instead of having the hard surface, doing an acrylic painted surface is a lot cheaper as well.”
Perry also credited Holbein, Inc. — the contracting firm responsible for installing the new courts and other park improvements — for its flexibility throughout the process.
“Holbein was very accommodating with helping us find the right number and getting a surfacing company to give us a quote,” Perry said.
In addition to the four new pickleball courts, Holbein has been charged with constructing a new road and a new parking lot and also will relocate the park’s basketball courts. Their bid was accepted at a board of supervisors meeting on March 25.
“They’ve started moving into the park now,” Perry said. “Probably in the next week or so they’ll start moving dirt.”
The four new pickleball courts will be closer to the park pavilion and on the opposite side of the playground from the current courts.
