Pickleball players priced out as Palm Beach Gardens fees triple to $15

Palm Beach Gardens' Burns Road Community Center increased non-resident pickleball fees from $5 to $15 after a $30 million makeover, and players say the hike is shrinking access to affordable play. The change has sent non-resident players searching for courts in North Palm Beach and Jupiter, where non-resident rates are $4 and $3 respectively.

Indoor play in North Palm Beach has surged as a result. All three indoor courts at the North Palm Beach Community Center were in use on a recent afternoon, with another dozen players waiting and 58 people signed up the previous week. North Palm Beach recreation director Ashley Shipman said staff are balancing demand while new outdoor courts come online. "Anytime weather is a little inclement or a little frigid, the indoor courts see higher numbers," Shipman said.

Raelene Thrasher, who travels from Singer Island, said she shifted away from Burns Road after the fee increase. She questioned whether the higher price is fair for all players. "Maybe it is an older generation, and they figure we have the discretionary income, but not everybody does," Thrasher said.

Geri DeSouza of Palm Beach Gardens said the fee disparity has practical effects for local groups that mix residents and non-residents. She played regularly at Burns Road and can still use the facility at the resident rate, but DeSouza said the change has reduced the pool of available partners. "Since our pickleball groups are a mixture of residents and non-residents, it limited the number of people who were available to play," DeSouza said.

City officials framed the fees as a measure to protect resident investment in city facilities and to prevent unauthorized commercial use. Charlotte Presensky, Palm Beach Gardens' Leisure Services Administrator, told the City Council that "existing fees protect the residents' investment in facility construction and maintenance but prevent unauthorized instructors, tournaments and groups from taking over courts." A city spokeswoman said no immediate fee changes are planned, but staff may revisit pricing later this year as a new indoor field house is completed.

The shift has community consequences beyond pocketbook pain. Players who relied on mixed groups find it harder to maintain consistent open-play sessions and round-robin groups. Holly Denton of North Palm Beach summed up the sentiment among some players: "Being priced out of the fun recreation opportunities, a lot of people are."

If you play in Palm Beach County, check North Palm Beach and Jupiter for lower non-resident rates and monitor seasonal indoor schedules, since courts fill quickly when weather drives play indoors. Expect the fee debate to resurface as the new field house opens and officials weigh how to balance resident access, facility costs, and growing pickleball demand.