--- title: "‘Make it permanent’: Tengah resident says foam balls trial has eased pickleball noise and neighbourly tension" url: "/stomping-ground/make-it-permanent-tengah-resident-says-foam-balls-trial-has-eased-pickleball-noise-and-community" published: "2026-10-23T04:04:03.000Z" updated: "2026-10-23T05:48:14.000Z" section: "Stomping Ground" authors: ["Cherlynn Ng"] tags: ["pickleball","Stomping Ground","noisy","noise","town council","tengah"] --- # ‘Make it permanent’: Tengah resident says foam balls trial has eased pickleball noise and neighbourly tension Welcome to Stomping Ground — a space where Stompers share reflections, personal essays and social commentaries that spark conversation and insight. A Tengah resident says noise levels at a multi-purpose court at Block 119A Plantation Crescent have “dropped significantly” ever since a ‘foam-balls-only’ trial was introduced. Implemented by Chua Chu Kang Town Council (CCKTC), the six-month trial allows only the use of foam balls for pickleball games at the court starting from Oct 1. Stomper Anon, who had complained about pickleball noise from the court on at least three occasions, hopes this rule is here to stay. ## Resident shares improvement in noise, neighbourly relationships Since the trial began, the resident said there has been a lot less noise: “Even with our windows open, we can hardly notice anyone playing pickleball. This clearly demonstrates the difference between using normal pickleballs and foam balls.” According to Anon, more competitive “pro” players no longer seem to use the court, while recreational players continue to enjoy the game and adhere to the new rules. ![Pickleball noise reduced with foam balls in Tengah](https://cassette.sphdigital.com.sg/image/stomp/16a53173fb4d947af7983d6364ff14aafa7dfa762f7b66fa4a9c661ff1190d6c) *The town council put up a sign allowing the strict use of only foam balls for pickleball games.* These rules include restricting the facility’s operating hours to 9.30am to 8pm, with court lights switched off right after. “This shows that we can strike a balance between allowing residents to enjoy sports and ensuring that neighbours can live peacefully without excessive noise,” noted the Stomper. “Instead of having an ‘us versus them’ mentality, we now have an opportunity to build mutual understanding and better relationships between residents and players.” Anon alleged that some neighbours had previously distanced themselves from pickleball players because of the noise, but “now things can change for the better”. He highlighted the improvement as being “what community bonding is all about”. “No one should have to suffer for someone else’s happiness,” Anon said. “The true meaning of the kampung spirit is learning to live together, respecting one another and finding solutions that benefit everyone.” The Stomper acknowledged that building such community spirit requires every party to play its part, including: - The town council - The Residents’ Network - Grassroots organisations - The estate’s Member of Parliament (MP) Anon added: “It is through collective effort, mutual respect and a willingness to compromise that we can create a more harmonious neighbourhood. “We should build on this positive progress and continue creating a community where sports, peace and neighbourly relationships can coexist.” According to the Stomper, a strong community is “not one where everyone gets their way, but one where everyone is willing to make compromises so that no one is left to bear the cost of another person’s enjoyment”. Noting that this is how we build a true ‘we’ society, Anon said: “In closing, I sincerely hope that the foam ball rule will be made permanent. The results so far have shown that it works.” ## Town council will assess effectiveness of foam ball trial Anon’s insight comes after CCKTC said it is carefully monitoring the situation during the ‘Use Foam Balls Only’ trial and will assess its effectiveness. “Following the trial period, we will evaluate its impact to decide whether to continue allowing the use of foam balls only, or to explore other measures as we balance the needs of the court users and residents living nearby,” a spokesperson told Stomp on Oct 22. The use of foam balls for pickleball games is not new in Singapore. In April, MP for Mountbatten SMC Gho Sze Kee announced a rule outlining the times when only foam balls can be used at community courts in the estate. ![Pickleball noise reduced with foam balls in Tengah](https://cassette.sphdigital.com.sg/image/stomp/74f9290ed3abaf73eb89255b8c666a336d9f7f6b957e60aea89099213f466afd) *‘Silent pickleball’ was introduced in Mountbatten earlier in April.* Similarly, Goh spoke of her belief in a strong kampung spirit and gracious community. Noting that Singapore is a dense city-state where we all live in close proximity to one another, Goh said: “This spirit of give-and-take must be a given.” Have your say on Stomping Ground! Write to us at stomp@sph.com.sg or WhatsApp 9384 3761.