NICEVILLE, Fla. — A growing petition campaign is calling on the City of Niceville to restore dedicated pickleball hours for seniors after the city opened the courts at the Niceville Senior Center to the public full-time earlier this month.
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The online petition posted a week ago on Change.org by Lisa van den Woldenberg asks the city to either reinstate weekday senior-only playing hours on the three pickleball courts adjacent to the Niceville Senior Center or pursue funding for new senior-only courts.
The petition was launched following an April 28 announcement from the Niceville Senior Center outlining changes that took effect May 1.
Under the new policy, the pickleball courts are now managed by the Recreation Department and are always open to the public.
The city also announced that gates connecting the courts to the Senior Center would be locked, access would be limited to the Campbell Drive entrance, and the courts would no longer be reserved for Senior Center members during operating hours.
Before the change, court rules published on the City of Niceville website stated that the courts were reserved for Senior Center members from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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Supporters say the previous schedule allowed older adults to play during daytime hours with others of similar skill and activity levels.
Some petition supporters also say the changes have made it more difficult for seniors to comfortably access the courts due to increased competition for playing time and busier public play periods.
According to the petition, the three courts were included in the Niceville Senior Center Recreation Area when it opened in 2022 as part of the city’s effort to provide recreational opportunities for senior adults.
In a statement shared by the Niceville Senior Center, Director Julie Deal Mooney said the changes followed “careful consideration of both daily operations and long-term planning for the Center.”
Ms Mooney said staff time required to open and secure gates daily had become increasingly difficult to maintain.
She also stated that pickleball had become one of the Senior Center’s most popular amenities and that increasing attendance required proactive management to maintain member access and avoid limiting future membership growth.
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The petition states that supporters believe dedicated senior play hours promote physical activity, social interaction, and wellness for older residents.
The petition remained active online as of the posting of this story on Wednesday morning, with 136 signatures, and continues to collect signatures from residents supporting the request.
For questions regarding pickleball courts, scheduling, or play, the city directed residents to contact Recreation Director Jim Baughman at 850-642-7464.
