Hinsdale Paddle

Comments: We are hopeful that in time the residents in Burr Ridge whose homes border KLM will recognize that making use of parks is a good thing for the community.

The Village of Hinsdale is looking into landscaping and screens to help reduce the view of the courts from the neighborhood.

Players have been encouraged to foster good relations by turning off lights early, keeping their voices down, and playing later matches on the western courts (1 and 2) whenever possible.

The Village of Hinsdale has been seeing a remarkable increase in passholders for platform tennis. The number of players has tripled in 4 years!

411 for 2004 YTD
237 for 2003
215 for 2002
138 for 2001
114 for 2000



We are relieved that putting through the large increases in fees (from 150% to 300% increases) hasn't deterred interest. Speaking of buying a pass, if you haven't already done so, here are the forms for first-time passholders and renewals.

Village Paddle Passes - First-Timers 2004-05.doc
Village Paddle Passes 2004-05.doc


Noteworthy for the addicted paddlers among us:
There is no longer a limit for prime-time play. The HPTA recommended and the Parks Commission approved the lifting of the once/week rule on reservations.

The Village of Hinsdale reports that reservations YTD through November have totalled 365. This is twice the prior YTD count of 182!

And 169 people have taken lessons during the first two sessions of the first year they have been officially available.

2004 has been quite a year for Hinsdale paddle!

During the Monday evening Administration and Community Affairs meeting, the committee voted 3-1 against the proposal to extend the lights at the KLM paddle courts from 10:00 to 10:30 PM. Apparently, not the entire Village Board goes to bed early, though. The next night the vote went 4-3 in favor of honoring our request.

We’re fortunate to have three terrific pros involved with paddle instruction: Mary Doten, Tom Lockhart, and Marc Veverka.

The winter lesson schedules are scheduled to run as follows:
January 3 – February 5 (Makeup week of February 7)
February 14 – March 14 (Makeup week of March 21)

You can register for a class on-line at: http://www.villageofhinsdale.org/pr. Click on webtrac registration.

The detailed lesson schedule is attached:
HPTA Paddle Lessons - Winter 2005.doc

(This photo ran in the Metro section without a story. It was a slow news day on November 16, 2004.)