Proposed RPD Policy Change – $5 Court Reservation Fee (a train REC?)

Along with the rollout of the new REC Tennis & Pickleball Court Reservation System, RPD is proposing that Pickleball players (and Tennis players) be charged $5 per hour to RESERVE a court (NOTE: ALL “open play” courts & session hours will remain FREE).

Earlier posts on this issue with more detail: Previous Status – May 12

June 16 STATUS: The administrative policy change was approved by the Rec & Park Commission on June 2, and has been forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for final approval this month. Currently the measure is with the Budget and Appropriations Committee (Chan, Mandelman, Melgar).  If approved, it goes to the full BOS for a final vote.

RPD is justifying the change as a means to 1) reduce “no-shows” 2) provide a revenue stream to pay for the REC systems and replacement nets.  Pickleball players opposing the change say 1) “no-shows” are ONLY a tennis issue, and 2) this fee is an unprecedented use tax on an individual sport.

To protest this policy, we recommend you:

  1. Listen to this podcast to clearly understand opposition arguments:   VoiceSF Podcast
  2. You sign this on-line petition:   Change.org Petition
  3. Write your SF District Supervisor to vote NO on the policy statement change (see table below for Supe names).

VOICE YOUR OPINION!!  MAKE SURE CITY GOVERNMENT KNOWS WHERE YOU STAND and SUPPORT THE INTERESTS OF OUR LOCAL PICKLEBALL COMMUNITY.

Thanks for your support.

Email address of each Supervisor:

District Supervisor email
1 Connie Chan ChanStaff@sfgov.org
2 Catherine Stefani Catherine.Stefani@sfgov.org
3 Aaron Peskin Arron.Peskin@sfgov.org
4 Joel Engardio EngardioStaff@sfgov.org
5 Dean Preston Dean.Preston@sfgov.org
6 Matt Dorsey DorseyStaff@sfgov.org
7 Myrna Melgar MelgarStaff@sfgov.org
8 Rafael Mandelman MandelmanStaff@sfgov.org
9 Hillary Ronen Hillary.Ronen@sfgov.org
10 Shamann Walton Shamann.Walton@sfgov.org
11 Ahsha Safai Ahsah.Safai@sfgov.org