Reston Association wants to hear from residents before it decides whether to eliminate tennis entirely at Autumnwood Courts and convert the facility to dedicated pickleball use.
The association announced two in-person feedback sessions at the courts, according to a notice posted on reston.org on Thursday, Aug. 13:
- Saturday, Aug. 22: 10 a.m. to noon
- Wednesday, Aug. 26: 5:30 to 7 p.m.
The RA Board is expected to vote on the conversion at its September meeting. Residents can also submit comments through an online form on the reston.org announcement page.
What's proposed
RA staff are recommending the removal of tennis nets from the two courts at Autumnwood that currently serve both tennis and pickleball players. Four standalone pickleball courts already operate at the facility. If approved, the change would make all six courts pickleball-only.
The association said staff proposed the change "to be responsive to the users of the facility." A summer survey found that more than 90% of court use at Autumnwood is already pickleball. Tennis players have shifted to other RA facilities.
Staff also plan to bundle the conversion with other upgrades: shade structures, new signage and a bottle-filling station. The winter play hours established in 2025 would remain in effect.
Background
The proposal has been building for more than a year. RA's Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee discussed making Autumnwood a pickleball-only facility by mid-2025, according to committee minutes.
The RA Board deferred the conversion at its July 2026 meeting after a 32-day usage study showed 66% court occupancy. As we reported July 29, staff proposed converting Autumnwood into eight dedicated pickleball courts at an estimated cost of $75,000.
At a February 2026 board meeting, resident Rakelle Mullenix publicly asked the board to expand pickleball capacity, especially on Reston's south side, and to explore court conversions and partnerships with Fairfax County to reduce wait times and conflicts with tennis players, according to Patch's July coverage of the board's deliberations.
How to weigh in
Both feedback sessions will be held at Autumnwood Courts. The specific date of the September board vote has not been announced. Residents can check the RA board calendar at reston.org for the meeting schedule and submit online comments through the announcement page.
