Pickleball Park vote postponed at Caddo Commission

That was the resounding message during Thursday’s Caddo Commission meeting.

On the agenda commissioners were set to vote on whether to approve a $10-million investment to build a large-scale pickleball court park behind the Lash Family YMCA in southeast Shreveport. The YMCA would lease the land to the parish and construction would be funded by revenue bonds that would be paid back from revenue of patrons using the park.

Stacy Brown with Shreveport-Bossier Tourism Bureau spoke in favor of the proposal saying they met with the National Pickleball Association to review the site. Brown said it would generate economic impact for the parish and attract people to visit because they could host regional tournaments.

Several moms also spoke in favor, saying they want more safe activities for their children. While other residents spoke against, saying the court would only be in the south part of the parish.

“We live in a world of isolation and inactivity. These are serious concerns. Pickleball offers a solution. It promotes physical wellness, it keeps our people active, and it builds a platform for building new friendships and forging meaningful connections. It’s the fastest growing sport nationwide,” said one Shreveport mom.

“I have nothing against pickleball. It’s fun, it’s a growing sport, and I’m glad people enjoy it. But spending $10-million in public funds on something that only benefits a small portion of our community is not a wise decision for tax payer dollars,” said another resident.

After a lengthy discussion and disagreement, with several commissioners wanting to pass it with others asking to wait to answer more public questions, the commission voted to send the resolution back to the Economic Development Committee for further review.