'Irritating as incessant drilling': Clementi man allegedly stands in middle of pickleball court to stop game

A resident in Clementi reportedly stood in the middle of a pickleball court near Commonwealth Avenue West after becoming frustrated with persistent noise from games played nearby.

The incident allegedly happened last month after repeated complaints from residents about noise from early-morning matches, according to Shin Min Daily News.

Man allegedly blocked play by standing in middle of court

A resident surnamed Lim told Shin Min that an elderly man approached a group of pickleball players and asked them to stop playing due to the noise.

However, the players reportedly pointed to signage indicating they were using the court within permitted hours.

Lim said that the man eventually stood in the middle of the court and used his body to prevent them from continuing to play.

Residents around the area have been complaining about the issue for a while.

“The court is very close to our unit, so residents are quite disturbed,” one resident told Mothership.

She has since submitted feedback to the town council.

The resident also noted that the town council has put up a notice calling for players to keep noise levels low during racket games.

Residents say noise “like incessant drilling”

Separate feedback shared with Stomp described ongoing disturbances caused by pickleball sessions near the flats.

One resident said:

“If you’ve heard pickleball before, it’s as irritating as incessant drilling.”

He added that the court is located very close to residential units:

“Imagine at 9am, they are already playing right in front of our unit windows.”

The resident also said multiple neighbours had contacted the police about the situation.

According to him, officers advised that there was limited action they could take as the activity fell within permitted hours.

Town council suggests quieter equipment, exploring more venues

According to Stomp, the Jurong-Clementi-Bukit Batok Town Council (JCBBTC) said it is aware of the feedback and has encouraged players to reduce noise where possible.

A spokesperson said:

“For residents’ comfort, users are encouraged to adopt quieter equipment to minimise noise impact and play between 10am to 8pm.”

The town council added that efforts are ongoing to provide more venues for the sport.

It also said Mr David Hoe, MP for Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC (Clementi Division), has been working with Sport Singapore to expand the availability of pickleball courts in the area.

Separately, the Ministry of National Development previously advised in a written reply to Sengkang MP Jamus Lim that residents should observe community quiet hours between 10.30pm and 7am and remain considerate when carrying out activities in shared residential spaces.

Residents have meanwhile called for longer-term solutions, with one saying:

“I’m not saying don’t play. I’m saying, play at appropriate places.”

Top image via Shin Min and Mothership reader