Pickleball by the sea?
That’s the plan in Fort Lauderdale, where commissioners said yes to a $2.5 million redesign of Fort Lauderdale Beach Park on Tuesday night, more than two years after they made a deal with the developer of Bahia Mar to bring pickleball to the beach.
The long-awaited but controversial redesign will bring four new beachfront pickleball courts to a stretch of sand directly across from Bahia Mar. Also coming: Refurbished basketball courts, lush landscaping, modernized fitness equipment and new picnic tables and grills.
The redesign will take three years or more.
The Bahia Mar Community Development District has agreed to contribute $1 million to the redesign of Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, but all of the amenities will be open to the public.
Some residents have lampooned the plan, arguing pickleball courts don’t belong at a windy beach. They also don’t like the idea of installing artificial turf on the sand to create gathering spots.
An earlier plan to convert the basketball courts to pickleball courts sparked a firestorm on social media, prompting the city to eventually agree to keep the basketball courts where they are.
Commissioner John Herbst told the crowd he understood the public outrage over the original plan. But he was baffled as to why people are now incensed over pickleball courts.
“I don’t get the hostility,” Herbst said. “I really don’t. I think the addition of pickleball courts adds another amenity that other folks are going to want to utilize. It appeals to a different segment of the community. Maybe at 70 you want to play pickleball and not basketball anymore.”
Steve Glassman, the district commissioner, had staff display aerial shots of the beach along with renderings showing the redesign.
“I hear people say, ‘They’re taking over the beach,’” he said. “So let’s see how we’re taking over the beach.”
Up popped one of the drone views.
“Probably one of the widest areas of sand on the beach,” Glassman said. “Next slide please.
“Look at all that sand. Look at all that space people can use. Next slide. Basketball courts staying where they are. And just a little to the left is where (the turf and gym equipment) is going to go. And pickleball courts will go right to the south.”
In the end, the commission approved the plan 4-1.
Vice Mayor Ben Sorensen voted no, saying he thought the plan needed more work.
Critics and fans lined up Tuesday night to share their thoughts before the commission vote.
Resident Bret Ribotsky argued the commission should approve the plan without a single change.
“The environmental impact of these courts (is) minimal,” he said. “They occupy a relatively small footprint in an already developed recreational area. No beach access is being eliminated.
“No private beach club is being created. Fort Lauderdale has an opportunity to create something unique, iconic beachfront pickleball courts that can instantaneously become recognizable throughout the country.”
Resident Leo Lorenz said planners needed to come up with a new design.
“Every single day there’s somebody out there on the courts or at the exercise areas utilizing the spaces,” Lorenz said. “You’re (moving) the exercise area from the basketball courts. And all the basketball players use the exercise area. We don’t want to have to go hiking from one end all the way down to the other end to work out in between games. We want to keep all that together.”
Some speakers questioned whether the redesign would force the removal of trees that have provided shade to that section of beach for decades.
Five out of 26 palms will be removed along with one Australian pine, city officials say. But 80 additional trees will be planted in the area, including 65 palms.
People also said they were concerned about losing some of the picnic tables and grills. The plan is to replace 16 tables and 10 grills but not reduce the number.
Another speaker pronounced that artificial turf is toxic and bad for the environment, prompting a quick reply from Herbst.
“We’ve got turf in every single park in the city,” Herbst said. “Holiday Park, Carter Park, Mills Pond Park. Every park where we’ve got fields has artificial turf. Guys, this is not the only place in the city where we have turf.”
Herbst then told the crowd that pickleball is played at the beach all over the country.
“It’s called sandy pickle,” Herbst said. “The idea that you can’t play pickleball on the beach is categorically false. There’s a lot of arguments against what’s trying to be done. And there’s a lot of valid points. But guys, we have to be factual here.”
Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com. Follow me on X @Susannah_Bryan