Park to get basketball court after pickleball controversy

CHARLOTTE — An east Charlotte park will get a full-sized basketball court after all.

Neighbors called out Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation after officials converted a full-sized basketball court in Sheffield Park into pickleball courts.

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The director of Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation said people used tape on a tennis court to mark pickleball lines.

Neighbors weren’t thrilled when the county replaced the basketball court with pickleball.

Now, the county is working on a solution to make both parties happen.

Wanda Frain and her boyfriend are new to the world of pickleball and play on the courts at Sheffield Park.

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation converted the park’s only full-size basketball court a few months ago.

“My boyfriend came and played basketball when the court was here,” Frain said. “We came up with our basketball and realized it was pickleball courts.”

Matt Walsh lives behind the park.

“When they took the basketball court away, I felt like it was, almost, it was almost like a middle finger to a whole group of people who play basketball,” Walsh said.

He shared his opposition to the change with Mecklenburg County leaders.

The county said after talking with the community, park and rec will convert one of the park’s half-basketball courts to a new full-sized one.

County leaders said crews will also resurface the other half-basketball court and add more benches under some shade near the courts.

“I would definitely say that we’ve fought for this and can advocate for this because it’s our neighborhood,” Walsh said. “I think that other parts of Charlotte. I worry that they still be vulnerable.”

Walsh said he fears history will repeat itself at other county parks.

The improvements are expected to start within the next month and should be finished by spring.

The county said it will add a shade structure near the new basketball court if there’s room in the project’s budget.

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