| Hello again from Reading Votes, your local civic outreach group dedicated to informing and rallying Reading voters. Good news: you’ve already made a difference. In the previous email, we covered major changes coming to Reading’s trash and recycling services. Many of you were concerned about the prospect of RFID microchips in trash barrels, among other issues, and expressed that to town manager Fidel Maltez. At the September 26 Select Board meeting, Maltez said the town would NOTpurchase trash or recycling barrels with RFID chips. Thanks for your engagement on this messy topic, and stay tuned for more to come. |
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| The Pickleball Predicament Pickleball, a cross between tennis and ping pong, is one of the fastest-growing recreational activities in the country. It’s popular because it’s accessible to beginners, an enjoyable way to exercise, and offers opportunities to socialize. People of all ages, including seniors, are flocking to it. As enthusiasm grows, local pickle-ballers—led by the Reading Pickleball Players Association (RPPA) —are seeking venues for game play. Reading has no official dedicated pickleball courts. Currently, Reading pickleball players must reserve limited time slots on dual-use tennis courts at Memorial Park. People also play at the Birch Meadow complex, although these courts are small and degraded—not to mention that they will be removed as part of the phase two improvements. The RPPA submitted a citizen petition asking the town to allocate $200k of the Ice Arena revolving account money to fund eight temporary pickleball courts in the rear parking lot at the Burbank Ice Arena. The temporary courts could be in use for up to 10 years. There is discussion about the possibility of including pickleball in the Symonds Way redevelopment, but those prospects are uncertain and will take years to implement if ratified. This topic will be on the agenda at the November 2023 town meeting. If you support access to pickleball, here’s what the RPPA advises: Send a postcard or email saying you support courts at Symond’s Way Send a postcard or an email to Jim Sullivan at the Reading Recreation Department* Send a postcard or an email to the Reading Select Board* Contact ReadingMAPickleball@gmail.com for a postcard, or mail your own postcard saying you support dedicated pickleball courts in Reading. Drop it in the mailbox at Town Hall as soon as possible. *Don’t forget to thank them for all the work they do to make Reading a great place to live and play pickleball in! Until next time, Your friends at Reading Votes |