Newly approved minutes from the June 11 Upper Merion Board of Supervisors meeting provide additional details about the proposed tennis courts at Walker Field. The minutes were approved by the Board on July 16.

During the June meeting, the Board voted unanimously, 5–0, to allow the Upper Merion Area School District to move forward with plans to construct six tennis courts at the park.

Much of the discussion focused on concerns raised by nearby residents, particularly noise, landscaping, traffic and access. Plans call for preserving existing vegetation between the neighboring homes and the courts, planting 12 evergreen trees as a visual buffer and conducting several rounds of noise testing. Additional landscaping could be added after construction if needed.

The courts would be located at least 300 feet from the nearest residential property line and approximately 20 feet above the neighboring homes. School District officials said the courts would host approximately 12 home tennis matches each year, in addition to team practices.

Initial access would be from the park’s existing trail, with portable restrooms and potentially removable bleachers available during the tennis seasons. A future parking lot and ADA-accessible entrance off Allendale Road may be considered, although officials said that would require a newly constructed driveway because of the property’s proximity to the bridge.

The possibility of adding pickleball lines was also discussed but was not finalized. Officials considered limiting pickleball to three of the six courts, requiring permits for play or placing pickleball courts at Heuser Park 2 instead, where they would be farther from neighboring homes. The School District also agreed to confirm whether pickleball lines are permitted on competitive high school tennis courts.

The project must still complete the Township’s stormwater review and permitting process before construction begins. At the June meeting, School District officials said they hoped to have the courts ready as early as this fall, depending on how quickly the necessary permits are approved.

Residents interested in the full discussion—including additional details about noise testing, parking, accessibility and potential pickleball use—can [read the complete June 11 meeting minutes here.

The minutes indicate that the project still required the Township’s stormwater review and permitting before construction could begin. The Spotlight has not yet located a subsequent public update confirming whether those steps have been completed.

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