Everyone’s Angry in Wellesley: People are furious about noisy new sport

Pickleball is all the rage these days. However, residents of Wellesley, Mass. aren’t too happy about the ruckus that comes along with the sport.

Pickleball courts situated near residential housing seems to be the problem. In Wellesley, growing frustration about the noise of pickleball lead to a town hearing, according to Boston.com.

On Monday’s Toucher & Rich program—Fred, Rich and Ryan Johnston react to a clip of audio from the meeting.

Everyone’s Angry in Brookline Wellesley!

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• Council Meeting Speaker: Over the last 50 years, we’ve seen the land go through many changes. Slowly, over the past 30 years, the area has been revitalized as a busy mixed-use park for active and passive recreation. 

  Within the past five years the field has been used more for youth soccer practice and games. There’s lots of noise resulting, so we plan our outside activities knowing weekends will be too busy for residents to use our yard. However, the sound of kids enjoying their sport is not a nuisance. 

  Pickleball noise is different. The sound results from a high-impact noise approaching 90 decibels, which is defined by acoustical engineers as the limit of human endurance. Gardening in our yard is our main recreation. There are locations where most people would agree some activities should not be allowed as it interferes with the residents’ safety and right to enjoy their property. 

• Wellesley residents are not impressed with the noisy sport of pickleball: "I can’t sit on my porch and read anymore. It’s totally stressful. My quality of life has been ruined.” https://t.co/8fEEy7Xt33

  — The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) March 3, 2023

• Council Meeting Speaker: A google search of pickleball would produce many articles chronicling lawsuits throughout the country. These articles would widely acknowledge pickleball noise as being an existential problem. 

  There are three nets apparent. The use has been light so far. However, as the weather improves and daylight is extended use will increase. Along with that increase in use will be an increase in noise. Again, the noise approach is 90 decibels, the limit of human endurance. 

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  (Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons)

• Council Meeting Speaker: I can only imagine the hellacious cacophony that will result if all three courts are in use, especially if residents have windows open. Perhaps studying how other towns— 

  Board Member: —Those are your three minutes. Next speaker. 

• Full Segment Below!

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