OCEANSIDE — The Townsite neighborhood near downtown Oceanside will soon welcome two new courts designed for padel, an increasingly popular game similar to tennis.
The city’s Planning Commission on May 8 unanimously approved the construction and operation of two padel courts at 222 South Coast Hwy. Now vacant, the 9,500-square-foot site was previously a used car lot.
Padel is played on small enclosed courts (like a squash court) using carbon fiber or fiberglass rackets. The games are played in doubles — four players per court — and the games typically consist of three sets. Players serve the ball underhand and may use the walls surrounding the court to keep the ball in play.
The balls are similar to a tennis ball but slightly smaller in size.
The two padel courts in Oceanside will be about 33 feet wide and 66 feet deep, surrounded by 10-foot plexiglass walls with an additional 6 feet of netting on top. The dilapidated trailer currently on site will be repurposed into an office. The courts will also have an onsite restroom.
Hours of operation will be between 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days per week. Players will be able to access rental padel equipment via lockboxes when staff members are not present. The courts will also feature lighting that turns off when not the court is not in use.
While the game is popular in Latin American and European countries, its presence in the United States is still new but growing in popularity.
“We are one of the fastest growing sports in the world,” said Amir Palmen, CEO of Padel California, the company that will operate the new courts in Oceanside.
The Barnes Tennis Center in Ocean Beach is currently the only location in San Diego County with padel courts.
“It’ll be the first of its kind in North County,” said Dane Thompson, the city planner in charge of overseeing the proposed padel project.
According to the padel court owners, the sport is easy to play but difficult to master.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said James Bragg, CFO of Padel California.
While commissioners were receptive to the new courts, some were even excited about being able to play in the future, some were also concerned about the potential noise affecting nearby residents.
Much of the sound will be absorbed by the plexiglass walls as well as by additional soundproofing material, including a meshed fence. The developers noted that the sport is quieter than pickleball, which can be noisy at times.
The developers hope to create new programming with local organizations, schools and nearby hotels involved to teach more people about the sport.
