By Paul Ray Donaire
From the title itself, you have read it right. Most pickleball courts in Dumaguete City, especially those located near or within residential areas, allow play until midnight, or at least people are still playing around that time.
Don’t get me wrong. I haven’t played pickleball, ever, but I was one of those who side-eyed the resolution urging local government to suspend new applications for pickleball courts in the city due to heavy traffic and the surge of crowds.
Not until I experienced it myself first-hand because of a newly-built pickleball court near my place. The thing is, there is nothing wrong with the sport itself. You do you. Do you like playing pickleball? Then go ahead for all I care. But playing at night, especially on weekdays, as if such a sport never gets loud? I will leave that for you to ponder.
This piece does not, in any way, call for the total banning of pickleball in the city, but more so on urging proper regulation.
Pickleball court owners, or whatever you call them, should implement strict guidelines on their business’s working hours. I understand it is a matter of business and we’re all slaves to capitalism. Money is money, but hey, your business might be causing a public disturbance. Is being mindful of ethicalism or simply having social awareness expensive nowadays?
While I also take into account that most players are in their working life and the only time they can play is at night but then again, most courts are beside our homes and we have to endure the noises you all are making every single night.
It is totally unbecoming for a city known for its gentleness to cause disturbance in its neighborhoods. There are about 50 pickleball courts in Dumaguete, and we remain proud of how the town is slowly gaining its recognition as a “Pickleball Capital of the Philippines,” however, we must also be critical and never turn a blind eye to its negative effects on our community.
