Pickleball racket at One Fort: Town council strengthening restrictions, testing use of foam balls
Despite measures taken by the town council, residents at One Fort condominium say prolonged pickleball noise is still driving them crazy.
Stompers Ng and XB shared how noise from the court at Block 14 Kampong Arang Road has been affecting their daily lives.
Both cited the September Yishun knife attack, in which a woman was killed following a years-long dispute with her neighbour, as an example of how unbearable noise can be.
Ng said: "I am a typical Singaporean who wakes up early in the morning and sends my kids to school before heading to my workplace. This routine has gone on peacefully for many years. We have been living contently until pickleball came to our neighborhood.
"The court used to be utilised by sepak tektaw, football and badminton enthusiasts. There were no complaints as the noise level was often tolerable. When the noise level went beyond a reasonable level, there were still no complaints because we knew it wouldn't last long. It was more of a 'give and take' attitude amongst the community."
Pickleball, on the other hand, produces a much higher noise level, noted Ng.
"Residents have been sharing feedback with their town councils and MPs," she added.
"Signages advising players to keep their noise level down, use softer paddles and having a smaller group were put up in the vicinity of the court. But who is there to ensure all this advice is followed?
"Residents are not against the playing of pickleball, but there should be a better place for it - a place that would not affect our livelihoods and definitely not in residential areas.
"Our peaceful rest on Sundays, the day before the work week starts, is now destroyed by pickleball games. During the exam week, my kids have to put up with the noise every day.
"The noise is really draining our mental health. A recent case of stabbing over noise in Yishun clearly shows the detrimental effects.
"Why aren't the authorities addressing the complaints from residents? When we say 'addressing', it means resolving. Suggesting or giving advice is not resolving the issue."
Why the ruckus is exceptionally unbearable
Similarly, Stomper XB identified herself as a "victim" of the noise from "this selfish game", which has gotten worse in the past year.
She said her neighbours, who are from all walks of life, are equally affected: "Some are elderly people who do not know who to reach out to. Others are tenants. We have mothers with newborns who need rest. Students going through exams during this period, especially O- and A-level students. Cabin crew with irregular working hours. All of us are suffering from the insane noises from this game. We are unable to rest at all. It's a daily struggle.
"The players used to start as early as 8am until about 11am, before starting again from 4pm to 10pm. Weekends are worse."
XB noted that Marine Parade-Braddell Heights Town Council recently enforced games to be between 9.30am and 10pm. This was following feedback from other Stompers in an August report.
However, the situation has not improved much.
XB said: "Players play the whole time from 9.30am to 10pm. That's approximately 12 hours! We probably get a lull from 12pm to 2pm before the annoyance starts again.
"I live on a high floor, but I'm not spared from the loud noises as sounds travel up. I literally close all my windows and blast music every day to drown the noise.
The Stomper also hit back at detractors.
"Pickleball supporters commented that we residents should embrace it," she said.
"Some even suggested we go and live in the mountains and cemeteries. They should play at the cemetery instead - I'm sure they can wake the dead!!!
"There are also comments about the nearby construction. The construction stops at a certain time every day, but pickleball players don't!
"There are several pickleball courts near the stadium which are empty. These players should pay and use these courts instead of creating a nuisance.
"The noises they create are insane. Apart from noises from the rackets and balls, players also shout and cheer. They even organise competitions where a loud hailer was used.
"It's not just three to fours hours a day. It's basically 10 hours of this annoyance every day!!! It's really unbearable! I can understand why the old man killed the Vietnam lady. Noise can drive a person insane.
"Pickleball must be banned near residential areas!!! Please help us!"
Further measures by town council
In response to a Stomp query, a spokeswoman for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights Town Council said: "We appreciate the feedback we have received regarding the noise levels in the area.
"The town council is continually reviewing how we can better manage the use of our multi-purpose courts to ensure that activities are conducted responsibly and in line with community expectations.
"In addition to restricting games at these courts to start from 9.30am and end by 9pm, we will also be reviewing and strengthening the terms and conditions for court bookings to hold official game competitions. This includes restricting the use of loudspeakers at such locations.
"Separately, Ms Gho Sze Kee, MP for Mountbatten SMC, together with some residents and volunteers, would be testing the use of foam balls for pickleball games. These balls produce less noise and are more suitable for courts located near residential areas."
This initiative is part of efforts in exploring ways to enhance the experience of both players and nearby residents, said the spokeswoman.
She added: "We will continue engaging players to encourage the use of such equipment and to help minimise noise levels during their games, including excessive cheering.
"We thank Stomp and other community members for their valuable feedback, which will be taken into consideration as we refine our approach moving forward."
