You might remember we featured an article recently about a San Francisco couple who decided to have an environmental assessment conducted at the nearby Presidio Pickleball Courts due to the noise. They claimed the distinctive pock-pock sound of paddles on balls had put off prospective buyers of their property.
Well, in an update featured in the San Francisco Standard, they seem to have finally managed to sell their house for the not-inconsiderable sum of $29 million!
Shock Waves
That means Presidio Wall pickleball enthusiasts should be finally able to bid farewell to Karl and Holly Peterson, the affluent duo who raised objections about the game’s noise despite their own residence containing its own pickleball court!
Holly spearheaded a complaint also raised by the neighbors last August, and its shock waves were felt all the way to City Hall. The upshot was that the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department converted half of the pickleball play areas into tennis courts in mid-January.
We also covered the story about how the local players were planning to fight the changes, citing “pickle protests” and “pickle disobedience.”
However, with reports emerging that the couple is nearing the sale of their multimillion-dollar home for a staggering $29 million, pickleball players are now advocating for the restoration of their space at Presidio Wall Playground.
A Thriving, Welcoming Community
Lisa Shaw, a vocal pickleball advocate, conveyed her sentiments, “Congratulations to Holly, who will walk away with millions and the knowledge that she broke up a thriving, welcoming and successful community in the process. She’s got her millions. We’d like our lines!”
Besides reducing the number of pickleball courts at Presidio Wall to six, Recreation and Parks instructed players to dismantle their crowdfunded nets and remove court lines. Shaw, a regular at Presidio Wall, says that justice would be served by reinstating the courts to their former glory.
Mary Hickey, a Bay Area ambassador for USA Pickleball, expressed similar sentiments, remarking, “Basically, we feel like she took the money and ran. We won’t hear another word from her again.”
Nonetheless, Hickey, who we featured in the article back in January, sees the departure of the Petersons as an opportunity for improved relations between property owners, players, and the parks department, hoping that the new owner of the house with a pickleball court might foster a more amicable environment.
No Immediate Action
However, Peter Blatman, a retiree and avid player, remains skeptical, advocating for a public hearing to restore the courts, doubting any immediate action from the parks department with the change in property ownership.
“Just the fact that the Petersons are selling their house to someone new, it’s not going to trigger any action from parks,” he says. “I don’t believe they’re going to do anything with Presidio Wall.”
In response to inquiries regarding potential collaboration with Presidio Wall pickleballers in light of the Petersons’ departure, Rec and Parks spokesperson Daniel Montes emphasized the department’s obligation to balance playing opportunities with mitigating neighborhood concerns across all sports.
“Your question belies a profound misunderstanding about this issue and how we make decisions, which isn’t based on any particular individual. The truth is, we constantly balance opportunities to play with a responsibility to limit neighborhood congestion and other issues—not just with pickleball, but all sports communities.”
As for the players, Holly’s departure, along with her noise grievances, is met with a mix of good wishes and relief. “Good for her,” remarks Bill Lafferty, the unofficial net keeper at Presidio Wall pickleball courts. “Life just rolls along.”
