Apple Valley residents are up in arms about the city council’s approval of approximately $190,000 on the final design for a future pickleball complex at Civic Center Park, pending funding opportunities.
It’s not that residents are against pickleball or have an aversion to physical fitness. They say the hesitation is more about ensuring taxpayer dollars are directed toward the community’s most pressing needs first. Many believe that once the town’s infrastructure and existing assets are properly maintained, then adding new amenities like pickleball courts becomes a much easier conversation.
Resident Jeffrey Ricker says he questions whether the addition of the pickleball courts is the right priority for Apple Valley at this time, with various existing city parks in desperate need of repair. Residents say they have to scan the park grounds for broken glass every time they walk their dogs around Thunderbird or Corwin parks.
“Adding another asset means additional long-term maintenance and operating costs that taxpayers will ultimately bear,” he wrote online.
Council member and former fire chief Art Bishop is a pioneering advocate for adding pickleball courts at city council meetings. He speaks with passion and excitement about the project, noting the proposed development as a win for his town.
The Apple Valley City Council officially approved the design contract on Nov. 12, 2024. They approved the final design phase at the July 14, 2026, council meeting, which led to a resurfaced debate among residents both online and via public comment at council meetings.
How much it will cost to build the courts has not been discussed publicly.
Potholes and empty storefronts and disrepair, oh my!
While not all Apple Valley residents are upset with the approval of the proposed pickleball court funding, those who are note Apple Valley’s street conditions and failing infrastructure as reasons to not move forward with the project.
Resident Rich Sparks says that quick town growth and misplaced priorities with town management caused a lot of the road deterioration, like the crack on Kiowa that runs from Ottawa to Pah Ute Road along the Southbound Lane, or the deep pothole resident Denise Nunez hit that caused $2,500 worth of damage to her bumper.
What’s more, storefront after storefront has for lease signs in Apple Valley, indicating that local businesses are struggling. Residents urge their council to invest more money into community businesses rather than resources for a trending hobby.
Some residents have also suggested the city finish projects that are currently underway, like the dog park at McConnell Park.
Others deliberate whether a more inclusive addition would best benefit the community, like a water park similar to Palmdale’s Dry Town Water Park, especially now that temperatures are in triple digits.
Or at the very least, “a couple of splash pads at our existing parks would be nice,” Evelyn Stanislaus said on social media.
McKenna Mobley is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at mmobley@usatodayco.com or on Instagram @mckenna_dailypress.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Apple Valley residents fight new pickleball plans
Reporting by McKenna Mobley, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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By McKenna Mobley, Victorville Daily Press | USA TODAY Network
