The city hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the pickleball community on Sunday, August 10 to celebrate the renovation and re-opening of the Linda Beach Courts. Mayor Betsy Smegal Andersen, Vice Mayor Conna McCarthy and city councilmember Jennifer Long, along with city staff, members of the Recreation Commission, and Piedmont’s premier pickleball evangelists Rick Schiller and Corki Recht, were on hand to mark the milestone.
Rick Schiller and Corki Recht are ready to cut the ribbon and play 
Mayor Betsy Smegal Andersen thanks the Recreation Commission and PRD staff 
Enthusiasts of all ages turned out for the ceremony
The re-striping of the former tennis courts was two years in the making, and not without years of controversy. As pickleball gained in local popularity starting in 2018, the city set up a subcommittee to help the growing sport get a foothold in town. Soon the aging Linda Beach tennis courts became a natural site for play, but some community members objected to the prioritization of pickleball over tennis and neighbors complained about the noise.
All four courts were played after the ribbon cutting 
A player serves on one of the new courts
A compromise plan for the courts was reached after a trial period overseen by the Recreation Department, and the City Council approved the plan on September 6, 2023.
According to the city’s website, hours of play are:
Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday: 9:00 am–6:00 pm
Sunday: 9:00 am–3:00 pm
Wednesday: Courts are closed except for PRD Youth Pickleball or Tennis Programming (Up to 11 years old) from 2:00–6:00 pm
Low noise pickleball equipment is required on the courts.