I became aware a few days ago of the city’s plan to build pickleball courts at Old City Park. I am disturbed by this choice not because of the game itself but because OCP is one of the few quiet, low traffic oases available to Moab residents. Pickleball is loud, and fast growing, indeed my father—who chooses to live in a large, loud, metropolitan area—loves to play, but he would not choose to have courts at OCP. Here he enjoys mellow time with his grandson. It is not only the noise of the actual game, but also the noise and pollution of additional traffic.
I love taking my toddler there to play with other kids, to play in the water, to dance, to play on the playground, to watch the wildlife that live in the pond. I see many others come for similar reasons. When Robin and I go to other parks he tells me that “it is too loud Mom“. He is 2 1/2.
It would be a great detriment to the quality of serenity and peace present at Old City Park—the only park in Moab that maintains this quality. While I support pickleball courts existing in a location in the city, such as Spanish Valley Arena, where there is already lots of concrete and other ambient noise, that place is NOT Old City Park. Humanity has shown again and again that it is easy to remove quiet and tranquility, and we have shown that it is nearly impossible to ever restore it. Please, let’s keep OCP quiet and precious. A safe and quiet space for the people of this town and the birds and other wildlife who call it home.
Thank you.
Rebecca “Inder” Broughton Coppola
Moab
