Pickleball organizer Nancy Stolpinski speaks to the Finance committee before the City Council meeting on Thursday. (Photo by Amy Porter)
WESTFIELD – Following the start of Thursday’s City Council meeting, At-large Councilor Dave Flaherty asked to change the order of the agenda, and move up front the motion he co-sponsored with Councilors Figy and Bean to support the city’s intention to build an All-Abilities playground. The motion to support an All-Abilities playground passed unanimously, with little discussion.
Also moved to the front of the agenda were two items to fund the renovation of clay courts at the Municipal Playground for Pickleball.
The gallery was once again filled with Pickleball enthusiasts, as it was one year ago, when the request was initially made. During public participation at City Council and at the Finance committee which preceded it, resident and Pickleball organizer Nancy Stolpinski, a retired sports coach and educator, ran down the benefits of playing Pickleball, and the draw to the city of having dedicated courts.
“We have the space, we have the place, we have the numbers,”’ Stolpinski said. She said renovating the clay courts, which she called unsafe, would allow the sport to be extended to working people and kids after school. “We set up the courts every morning, which is fine for us, but for people in the afternoon – we’re not going to come back and set it up.”
She said currently the group of mostly retired folks, 60 to 80 strong, play nine times a week indoors at the YMCA, Highland Elementary and Boys & Girls Club. When the weather gets nice, they will go outside. Last year, they bought nets and equipment which temporarily convert the courts to Pickleball when they play.
Stolpinski added that dedicated courts would allow them to sponsor tournaments which would draw visitors, and allow kids to get involved in the game which she said teaches sportsmanship and integrity without the high-powered pressure of competitive sports. “They only have adult-driven, competitive sports opportunities. There’s a lot of things they can learn and will learn with Pickleball. We can do so much for the whole community of Westfield if we get those courts. We can’t grow the sport on temporary courts,” she said.
The gallery begins to fill at the start of Thursday’s City Council meeting. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Finance committee chair Brent B. Bean, II introduced the motion to spend $115,000 from Free Cash for the renovation of the courts, adding his committee voted 3-0 to recommend it. He said for him it was nice to see a game that people could still play with their kids.
Ward 1 Councilor Mary Ann Babinski said she never had gotten so many emails, and thought it would be a great repurposing for the courts. As a tennis player, she said she watched the sport start up last year. She also said that the clay courts are in bad shape, too expensive to maintain, and that the city needs to get people outside and enjoying what it has to offer.
Flaherty, who himself became a Pickleball enthusiast after a challenge from the group last year to come out and play, said he has been playing ever since. “I like the social aspect of it, and the cluster of courts,” he said. The city’s planned renovation will install five or six Pickleball courts, depending on the final design.
“It’s a very social thing. I wholeheartedly encourage you to do it. It’s a fully justified expense,” Flaherty added.
“I’m fully in support of this. This level of excitement; I’ve never seen this much enthusiasm,” said At-large Councilor John J. Beltrandi, III.
There were some councilors who questioned the expense, however. At-large Councilor Nicholas J. Morganelli, Jr. said he was an advocate for outdoor recreation, but questioned using outside contractors to do the excavation and grading.
Once funding is in place, the Engineering Dept. plans to go out to bid for the renovation, which they have estimated will cost $190,000.
“We have resources (to do it) here in the city,” Morganelli said.
“I know you people are very passionate about the sport. With respect, this is your priority, not mine. We’re going to spend $200,000 on Pickleball courts. I’m sorry, I don’t support it,” said Ward 3 Councilor Andrew K. Surprise, listing roads in the city that need paving.
At-large Councilor Matt Emmershy also questioned the funding. He said the previous Finance committee on which he and Surprise served, asked about using Community Preservation Act funds for the renovation, which he said other towns including Agawam used. He also advocated for using in house services for the renovation.
Previous Finance committee chair Dan Allie said there was not at present sufficient CPA funds to pay for it, due to a commitment made to the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail. “We spend a lot of money in the city. It’s important to do things that people will actually use. What makes our parks safe is when people are using them,” Allie said.
Morganelli asked the supporters in the room if they would consider a Pickleball fundraiser that would pay for part of the renovation. “That would show a good faith effort on your part,” he said.
Bean said the city couldn’t get estimates until the funding was in place. “The process doesn’t come to us to whittle down, until we have the funding in place,” he said.
Flaherty added that the Council can only vote on appropriations that are sent to it. “I would rather use Free Cash for a one-time capital project than ongoing expenses,” he said.
Flaherty also said the Department of Public Works and Engineering keep getting hits to their budgets. “Our job is not to tell the department heads what job to work on. That’s not our job to manage. They’ve chosen that they have other projects to do,” he said, adding, “Regarding donations, the Pickleball players have paid for everything they have right now. They have invested thousands of dollars already, and hundreds of hours in promoting this sport. I’m all in favor of this. I agree wholeheartedly with trying to control the pickleball construction budget – another topic, another time,” Flaherty said.
A motion to move the question was made, and the vote passed 10 to 2 to cheers in the gallery, with Surprise and Emmershy voting no.
The second vote to use the remaining funds in the Park Square Green bond also passed 10 to 2, to cheering from the group.
