Pickleball Craze Is Coming To Roosevelt Island - After Request By Local Residents, RIOC Installs 2 Outdoor Pickleball Courts At Sportspark - Are 2 Courts Enough?

Roosevelt Island is joining the Pickleball Craze with 2 new outdoor courts installed by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) in the area behind Sportspark that used to be a basketball court.

Vox explains Pickleball.

During the October 20, 2022 RIOC Board of Directors Meeting Public Session, Roosevelt Island residents Lorraine Altman

and Vicki Feinmel

 

advocated for Pickle Ball courts on Roosevelt Island.

Ms Altman noted that Ms Feinmel is a recent winner of a Pickleball tournament at a Manhattan court.

During the December 22, 2022 RIOC Board Meeting, RIOC General Counsel Gretchen Robinson announced Pickleball was coming to Roosevelt Island at the Sportspark outdoor court this coming spring. 

According to Ms Robinson:

We are bringing Pickleball to Roosevelt's Island as Mr Haynes previously mentioned. We have decided to dedicate the courts behind Sports Park to that effort and a formal announcement will go out soon but asphalt was laid and striping was completed this month. I believe the court will be completed and accessible in the early spring so that's really exciting.

 

Comments on Roosevelt Islander Instagram Pickleball post include:

• Awesome addition to the community!!
• Outdoor volleyball court should be next
• They are here, and there’s only two of them! And will Off-Islanders be able to use them? Cause we have 6 tennis courts that residents have a hard time accessing because Off-Islanders take over! I can’t play tennis at any other borough with out a permit, but Off-Islanders can just come here and take over our courts! Do you think two PB courts are going to be enough?

The subject of Roosevelt Island Pickleball was even discussed during an August 24, 2022 tour of Roosevelt Island with Mayor Adams and Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright.

Are you ready for Roosevelt Island Pickleball?