On Monday night, the Evansville City Council declined to adopt an ordinance which would have forbidden pickleball courts from being established at Wesselman Park.
The plans for that location can now proceed.
The ordinance was put forth by Ward 2 Council Member Missy Mosby and Council-At-Large Jonathan Weaver. They were the only ones to support the measure on Monday night in a 7-2 vote.
“I took my oath to be the voice for my Second Ward,” Mosby said before her vote. “And I've gone to my neighborhood meetings and haven't had a single person at the neighborhood meeting say that they were in favor of this location.”
Weaver cited concerns with the location, and maintenance of the park.
“This has never been about the opposition of pickleball,” he said, mentioning he was introduced to the sport in 2010.
The vote came after 90 minutes and 20 public comments mostly from residents urging the council to vote “yes” on the ordinance.
Concerns ranged from the courts’ possible impact on wildlife — the lights and noise. Considering a field would be converted into a hard surface, water drainage was also mentioned.
Nearby residents were also concerned about nuisance noise and light pollution, and some were worried about the project going over budget — at the detriment of other city projects such as demolition of the Lloyd Pool.
“That has been put off for two years,” said Amy Wiist. “We were promised that it was going to be demolished when the new pool was built. And yet there it stands two years later … I'm worried that it will be pushed down the road again, because money is being put towards pickleball courts.”
The popular proposed alternative location was at Roberts Park, due to accessible parking and an already noisy location near the Lloyd Expressway.
The final public comment was actually from Interim Parks Director and Deputy Mayor Stephen Schaefer, who spoke candidly about the “negativity” surrounding the pickleball project.
“The negativity and the misinformation and the accusations are what drive people out of government,” he said. “We're all trying to make improvements. No one wants to destroy and pave over Wesselman Park.”
He took time to directly address some of the public comments. He mentioned that the demolition of the Lloyd Pool is now funded.
He addressed comments describing the pickleball process as being “shrouded in secrecy” and undemocratic, in that unelected members of the Parks Board are making city decisions.
“That one really is irritating,” he said. “We've been talking about this since October of ‘21. There have been 24 Parks Board meetings where this has been discussed, 10 city council meetings. I mean, it's been reported in the media 56 times.”
He also mentioned how passing this ordinance can indeed hinder the possibility of a local trail system because it would travel through the jurisdiction of the ordinance.
“All we want to do is create more recreational opportunities for our citizens, while also having the opportunity to create some economic impact in the area,” he said.
The council then took time to ask Schaefer questions, along with Brian Poynter, executive director and the general manager of the Evansville Community Tennis Association, which oversees Evansville Tennis Center at Wesselman park.
When asked about the lights — Poynter said they’re both push-button and on a timer.
Council President and Ward 3 member Zac Heronemus prefaced his vote first. He said he read every communication regarding the pickleball courts. He said he hopes the courts at Wesselman Park can promote the long-term viability of Wesselman Woods.
“I know this is not going to be a popular decision, especially with people in my ward,” he said. “I hope that you can respect that I will be not supporting this particular ordinance. And I will continue with my support for the bond that I voted in favor of knowing that pickleball courts were going to be where they were.”
All the council members who voted against the measure struck a conciliatory tone.
Council member Caitlin Moore prefaced her vote with gratitude for all the input and passion from the community concerning the ordinance.
“And it's been hours and hours of consideration for me, and I really do agree with Councilman Heronemus here that to say Wesselman Park is to allow it to grow and change. And my vote is ‘no.’”
In response to resident concerns, council member Ron Beane asked for funds set aside for handling sound proofing and light pollution, and that the future pickleball parks should follow city noise ordinances at Wesselman park.
Member Angela Koehler Lindsey asked for regular face-to-face updates with interim parks director Steve Schaefer throughout the process.
While a spirited meeting, the mixed audience gave little response to the vote.
