Pickleball to be limited to 9 courts under Sengkang Town Council after residents’ survey

SINGAPORE – Pickleball will be banned at certain courts managed by the Sengkang Town Council (SKTC) from Nov 1, with nine courts approved for play during specified hours.

In a media statement on Oct 21, the town council said it developed the guidelines that take into account the residents’ different preferences and lifestyles after reviewing feedback from a survey of over 2,000 residents there.

The courts approved for the sport are:

• Anchorvale Vista, near Block 310B and near Block 312A

• Aspella, near Block 275B

• Compassvale North Gate, near Block 262C

• Rivervale Gardens, near Block 120D

• Rivervale Bank, near Block 121B

• Rivervale View, near Block 161

• Rivervale Shores, near Block 175

• Rivervale Haven, near Block 197

The approved spaces, which will be painted with pickleball court lines, are available for play from 10am to 7.30pm and will have signs indicating that pickleball is permitted.

In an Instagram post on the new measures, MP for Sengkang GRC Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik said in his post that the new guidelines were the “two most acceptable regulatory measures voted by residents” in the survey.

Muhaimin wrote: “Through these new measures, SKTC hopes to support residents who enjoy an active lifestyle, while also respecting the needs of those who value a quieter environment for rest and recuperation.”

Pickleball will be banned at certain courts that are too close to residence blocks, or if a certain percentage of residents supported the ban, said the post, without specifying the exact percentage.

The town council had earlier invited residents to take part in the online survey after recognising that the popular sport drew mixed reactions from residents.

Explaining how the measures were determined, Muhaimin said the team considered the survey data and on-site research by the SKTC estate team.

The team looked at factors, including distance between courts and residential areas, sound frequency of pickleball play, residents’ feedback and site layout and environmental features.

The Straits Times has contacted the town council for more information, including the current number of pickleball courts under its care.

The racket caused by pickleball has been a longstanding issue in residential areas and other estates have also taken to limiting hours of play.

In 2025, the Marine Parade-Braddell Heights Town Council switched off lights earlier at selected courts to discourage late-night play.

Signs at courts in other estates have also been put up, advising players to restrict their games to specified timings.

In January, a trial for silent pickleball was held at Mountbatten, where participants used soft foam balls instead of the regular hard plastic ball.

Chua Chu Kang Town Council is also running a similar trial that started on Oct 1 for six months. Only foam balls can be used at a multi-purpose court in Block 119A Plantation Crescent that is open from 9.30am to 8pm daily.

Laura Chia is a journalist covering breaking news and current affairs, with an interest in sports.