REPORT TO PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Review Community Outreach Results and Preliminary Park Site Evaluations for Tennis and Pickleball Improvements and Provide Feedback
Report
BACKGROUND
On May 5, 2026, the City Council adopted the Santa Clara Parks & Recreation Master Plan (Plan), which establishes a long-term framework for prioritizing parks, recreational facilities, programs, and infrastructure improvements. The Plan identifies growing demand for recreational amenities, including tennis and pickleball facilities, and establishes level-of-service targets to guide future investments.
The Plan examines national recreational trends and benchmarks Santa Clara against similarly sized cities across the country. As of 2023, basketball, golf, and tennis were among the most popular sports in the United States based on participation levels. Between 2017 and 2023, participation in tennis, golf, and pickleball increased by more than 25%, while activities such as jogging, ultimate frisbee, roller hockey, and rugby experienced declines.
The Plan identifies a level-of-service need for 18 pickleball courts, equivalent to approximately one court per 8,500 residents, and 38 tennis courts, equivalent to one court per 4,000 residents. The City currently has 35 tennis courts, including two courts at Central Park near the Community Recreation Center that were dual-striped in 2023 to accommodate pickleball. This effort introduced pickleball opportunities in Santa Clara and supported City programming, court reservations, and walk-on play through the City’s contractor, Lifetime Activities.
In June 2026, the Parks & Recreation Department (Department) initiated a comprehensive community outreach effort to gather input on existing tennis and pickleball facilities and future recreational needs. Outreach activities included an online survey, a project webpage, social media, GovDelivery notifications, Commission announcements, community events, and public meetings. ...
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