Land Approved for Permanent Courts at Symonds Way. Donate Today--->

Reading Pickleball Players Association

Updates from the President

April 2025

For more than 2 years the RPPA has been advocating for permanent lighted public pickleball courts in Reading, working with town staff and several committees to make this dream a reality.

We have also been actively raising money to help fund a portion of the court costs. Our original fundraising goal was set at $200,000 and we are happy to report we have met that goal.

Through the efforts of too many people to list here, the Select Board has agreed that land near the Burbank Arena is a suitable location and meets the needs of the pickleball community and the town.

Now comes the hard part – but it’s the final part. Town Meeting must approve the project at a vote scheduled at the end of the month. We need EVERYONE to contact their town meeting members and let them know how important it is that these courts be built and to ask them to vote yes on the pickleball warrant. With everyone’s help, we can get this approval over the goal…I mean kitchen line.

Although we reached our original fundraising target, thanks in no small part to a few generous individuals, the early estimates came in higher than many people (including us) expected. We would like to make one last donation appeal before the Town Meeting vote. The more money we raise, the bigger the chance of securing a yes vote. Many of you have already donated, and to those people, we extend our sincerest thanks. To those who haven’t yet donated and to those of you who have and are willing to donate again, please imagine how great it will be to have more courts, dedicated to pickleball, right in town. Please donate now to help make these courts a reality.

We already have the best pickleball community in the area, let's all pitch in to get us the best courts, too!

Click here to find the list of town meeting members in your precinct:

https://www.readingma.gov/575/Town-Meeting

Click here to make a donation:

https://www.readingmapickleball.org/donate

Past Letters from the President

December 2024

Greetings everyone,

SYMONDS WAY COURT PROGRESS

RPPA has been working with the town to allocate space for dedicated, lighted, public pickleball courts on Symonds Way - The Select Board voted 5-0 on November 19th to dedicate part of the Zanni property for Pickleball! The town also authorized $87,000 of ARPA funds to start design, engineering and planning work. By the way, the land was tested and was Not Contaminated!

Our goal now is getting this project on the capital plan, determining a better cost estimate, formulating a warrant for the April Town meeting and fundraising . Your support for this plan could help to ensure its success.

FUNDRAISING HELP

RPPA has a goal of raising $200,000 for the courts. As of now we have raised $125,000. December 3rd is Giving Tuesday. We need your help! Please make a donation to help our fundraising efforts: donate now or contact us through our email at readingmapickleball@gmail.com.

Thank you to all of you who have already donated. Your generosity has helped make this happen!

See you on the courts,

- Mike Coltman, RPPA President

October 2024

Greetings everyone,

2024 has been another good year for pickleball. The Courts at Memorial Park continue to be in high demand and players of all ages have been there every day, all day, learning, laughing, and playing! With the high demand on court time, Reading Pickleball Players Association (RPPA), the non-profit formed in January 2023) has been, and will continue to be, focusing on getting dedicated, lighted pickleball courts built in Reading.

SAVE THE DATE

RPPA had our 2nd annual Community Day Fundraiser in April 2024. Click here to see more details and photos!

Mark your calendars now for Saturday March 8, 2025 for our 3rd annual event.

SYMONDS WAY COURT PROGRESS

RPPA has been working with the town to allocate space for dedicated, lighted, public pickleball courts on Symonds Way, which is off Haverhill St. and near the Burbank Ice Arena. Symonds Way is currently being considered as a site for the Reading Center for Active Living (RECAL). Pickleball courts would be a great addition to this center and have been shown in conceptual drawings. On September 30th, the Recreation Committee voted unanimously to recommend to the Select Board that pickleball courts be allocated to the parcel of land that is currently outlined on the RECAL conceptual design at Symonds Way when funding becomes available. Discussion with the Select Board took place on Oct 8th with very positive support from Jim Sullivan (Recreation Division Administrator), Jenna Woods (Community Services Director), and especially, Jayne Wellman (Assistant Town Manager), in addition to a positive response from the Select Board members. Jayne noted that there were some ARPA funds that could be reallocated to start design and planning work. Our goal is for the Select Board to vote on dedicating the land to pickleball courts and re-appropriating the ARPA funds at a subsequent meeting, likely in early November. With this designation of land and funds, the work of planning the project, getting it on the capital plan, formulating a warrant for the April Town meeting and fundraising will begin in earnest. Your support for this plan could help to ensure its success.

You can reach out to the Select Board at selectboard@ci.reading.ma.us

FUNDRAISING HELP

RPPA has a goal of raising $200,000 for the courts. We have raised more than $120,000 as of now with additional funds pledged upon the dedication of the land for courts. We need your help! If you are interested in pledging or assisting us in our fundraising efforts, visit our website at: https://www.readingmapickleball.org/ or contact us through our email at: readingmapickleball@gmail.org.

See you on the courts.

- Mike Coltman, RPPA President

PAST LETTERS From the RPPA President

August 2023

Greetings everyone, it has been a good year for outdoor sports of all kinds. A group of pickleball players formed and incorporated the Reading Pickleball Players Association in January. We had a kick off fundraiser in March 2023 to introduce RPPA to the Reading community. Our focus has been, and will continue to be, getting dedicated pickleball courts built in Reading.

The sport is growing fast, as I’m sure you all are aware and courts are in short supply at the most popular times. When I first started playing on the old volleyball court there were maybe 35 people playing in Reading. About this time the volleyball court was repaved and lines were painted to create 4 (sub-standard) pickleball courts. Quickly the number of players grew to close to 100. In 2018 we were able to get the courts at Memorial Park dual lines for both Tennis and Pickleball and the growth continued.

Covid, of course, had an impact on the sport, but after the initial shutdown phase, being outside with natural distancing was attractive to many new players. It is hard to estimate how many players are in town now but the RPPA email distribution list that is just getting started is over 400.

RPPA’s first event in March sold out in less than a day and the lessons sold out in minutes. It is fun to see adults and children of all ages getting together to be active and social. I’ve made so many new friends and renewed so many relationships with people in town.

Pickleball is easy to learn and difficult to master which makes it a great sport for all ages regardless of skill level or athletic ability. You just need to find a group at roughly your level and have fun.

The Reading Pickleball Players Association (RPPA) is dedicated to advancing pickleball and raising funds to help build dedicated courts. We strive to be good neighbors with everyone in town, especially our racquet friends in Tennis. While dual use courts at Memorial Park are great, they are in such high demand that very little tennis is played there. This is why we really need dedicated courts for pickleball. Courts that do not take away from tennis and do not add noise and congestion to quiet neighborhoods.

Phase 2 of the Birch Meadow Master Plan included 8 pickleball courts near the existing sub-standard courts and basketball court.These were removed from the plan and replaced with basketball courts out of concerns for noise and congestion, (as well as foul balls).

We are working with the town to identify a location where courts can be constructed that will not impact our neighborhoods. We feel that the ideal location is near the Burbank Ice Arena, on the far side of the building, off Haverhill St on Symonds Way. This will require coordination with the Ice Authority, the Select Board and the Reading Recreation division.

RPPA is poised to raise substantial funds for these courts once a location is identified.

See you on the courts.

- Mike Coltman, RPPA President

Reading Pickleball Players Association (RPPA) was founded in 2023 as a community-based 501(c)(3) non-profit with a goal of mobilizing a diverse group of individuals and community partners to raise funds for the construction of dedicated, lighted public Pickleball courts in Reading, while maintaining strong connections with the town and the community and sharing the benefits of Pickleball with the community.

EIN: 92-1796777
Contact us: ReadingMApickleball@gmail.com

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