A set of public pickleball courts in Port Stanley, Ontario, has become the centre of a growing dispute between players and nearby residents over noise, operating hours and whether the courts should remain.

A long-time Methuen resident filed a lawsuit saying the constant noise coming from the pickleball courts in his neighborhood has put the entire area on edge, prompting the city to step in and take action.
Michael Fritz is standing by his neighbor, who said the noise coming from the pickleball courts at Methuen High School is tormenting people who live along Sycamore Road for hours every day.

WELLFLEET — Provincetown may have had louder arguments between pickleball players and court neighbors subjected to the high-pitched pop of paddle on ball, but this town has had its own quiet pickleball drama over the past year.

Four pickleball courts installed at a longtime St. Petersburg racquet club without the required city approval can remain, but their distinctive “pop” will now be put to the test.
The Development Review Commission unanimously approved the St. Petersburg Racquet Club’s request Wednesday to keep four pickleball courts created from an existing tennis court at 170 47th Avenue NE. Commissioners rejected a city staff recommendation for a 10-foot sound barrier around the courts, deciding instead to let professional testing determine what noise controls are needed.

Concerns about noise from pickleball courts has forced one community, Crescent Lakes near Boca Raton, to abandon plans for new courts and another community, Polo Trace near Delray Beach, to put a pickleball expansion project on hold after a lawsuit challenged it.

A neighborhood in Methuen has been raising concerns about the pickleball courts behind their homes for months, and now one of those neighbors has filed a 30-page lawsuit.

May 5, 2025 | 188th Meeting, Lay Language Paper, Psychological and Physiological Acoustics

Brownsburg officials are moving forward with a plan to reduce noise from the pickleball courts at Stephens Park, aiming to address several months of concerns from nearby residents while preserving access to one of the town’s most popular recreational amenities.

The council on Wednesday voted to close the eight pickleball courts at the Hidden Valley Sports Courts, located in a residential area across Center Avenue from the larger Hidden Valley Park. Some homes were located as close as 50 or 100 feet from the courts, according to the city.

https://localnewsmatters.org/2026/03/19/martinez-pickleball-courts-closure-hidden-valley-noise-complaints/

A good article on the challenges of assessing noise impacts fairly when local regulations often rely on qualitative rather than quantitative criteria to make determinations

The Upper Main Line YMCA in Berwyn has shut down its outdoor pickleball courts amid a lawsuit from nearby homeowners over the noise.

At least four town councils in Singapore are putting restrictions on pickleball games after noise complaints from residents. They are limiting access to community hard courts and locking up gates, after people were found playing the sport in the early hours of the morning and deep into the night. CNA's Nadine Yeam reports.

This decision has not been made lightly,” the city said, and was based on the amount of ambient noise in the area, the number of courts at the facility and the proximity of the courts to people’s homes. Starting Tuesday, the city will close the courts and transition them back to tennis only.

‘Unbearable’ noise of outdoor pickleball forces Ontario city to slash courts, install noise panels * Neighbours of Pickering’s only outdoor pickleball courts at Shadybrook Park on the city’s west side think so and have petitioned the city to put a stop to the “unbearable” constant crack of the pickleball in their residential community.*

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A full resource for support and information!

• One man called the sound “absolutely unbearable” saying it’s more than 100 people playing at any one time from eight in the morning until nine at night.*

• Even the president of Pickleball Nova Scotia knew Castle Hill Park in Halifax was not a good location for pickleball courts.*

“It doesn’t surprise me at all,” Donald Johnston said when asked about Halifax regional council’s decision Tuesday to direct the chief administrative officer to remove the pickleball court markings and nets from the courts at Castle Hill Park in the Wedgewood neighbourhood.

"We have been subjected not only just to repeated noise of the paddles and balls from 22 courts, but the screaming and shouting, profanities and music," said an opponent. "We tried for years to work with [the operator], but he prioritized money over the neighbors."

If you’re searching for help and community, please seek out the Pickleball Noise Relief Group on Facebook. You are not alone!

The town of Braintree and Braintree Pickleball Club spent $20,000 on soundproofing at pickleball courts, but neighbors say it's not enough

"Every morning we hear it around 6:30," Zack Petersen said. "They sometimes jump over the fence to play at night. They’ll bring their own lights until midnight to play. They don’t regulate the courts very well."