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### Parks & Recreation has cancelled all programs at Seger Park for 2026, including our Meetup.

This decision abruptly ends a 12-year community effort that has brought nearly 4,000 people to the park. What we built together wasn’t just a Meetup, it was a thriving, self-sustaining community that made Seger Park safer, more active, and more welcoming.

The impact of this group goes far beyond organized play. The funds we raised directly contributed to major improvements: resurfaced tennis courts, dedicated pickleball lines, new LED lighting, wind screens, upgraded fencing, and other enhancements that everyone now benefits from.

Eliminating this program disregards over a decade of volunteer effort, community building, and financial contributions that helped transform the park.

We strongly urge anyone who values this community to speak up. At the end of this message are two templates for you to use when contacting government and PPR representatives.

Email Parks & Recreation (Lisa Whittle: [lisa.Whittle@phila.gov](mailto:lisa.Whittle@phila.gov)) and let them know this decision is unacceptable. Show up in person at the next Seger Park Board Meeting on Tuesday, April 21, at 7:00 PM and make your voice heard.

Additionally, contact Mark Squilla and Susan Slawson, preferably by phone, to put pressure on those who should be representing and advocating for our community.

Mark Squilla, Councilmember for District 1: (215) 686-3458 ([mark.squilla@phila.gov](mailto:mark.squilla@phila.gov))

Susan Slawson, Commissioner of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation: (215) 683-3666 ([susan.slawson@phila.gov](mailto:susan.slawson@phila.gov))

If the community stays silent, nothing will change.

With gratitude and well wishes to all,
The Seger Park Pickleball and Table Tennis Meetup Administrators (Andrew, Brandon, Braden, and Bill)

Template 1:
Dear __________,

I am contacting you as a member of the Seger Park community in regards to the recent changes that were imposed by Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. The changes included the elimination of the park membership system that allowed for court reservations as well as the removal of the Pickleball Meetups hosted by the Seger Park Pickleball and Table Tennis Meetup group.

The decision to do away with both our court reservation system and the Meetups is disadvantageous to the overall quality of the park and directly harms the pickleball community, denying regular access to the only viable outdoor playing area.

The Meetup is a gathering place for friends and those seeking to make friends. There are countless stories from the thousands of Meetup attendees that describe the forging of relationships, the ability to reliably access the courts and other players at scheduled times, and the mental and physical benefits of exercise and outdoor activity.

I urge you to reconsider the position of the Parks and Recreation department and reinstate the Meetup as well as reestablishing the park membership system based on the Advisory Council's recommendations that has served the park and the community so well for over a decade.

Sincerely,
[name]

Template 2:
Dear __________,

While no system is perfect, the decision to remove the memberships and Meetup group has a direct, adverse impact on the pickleball community that has come to rely on—and take care of—Seger Park. The mental, physical, and social benefits of pickleball are well-documented, and Seger Park is the only location in our neighborhood that allows for outdoor play and gatherings. The exclusively first-come, first-serve system (or lack of a system) denies people the opportunity to plan their time, benefiting only those who can spontaneously show up. The Pickleball Meetup, for over a decade, has provided a reliable time for players to gather and take advantage of this wonderful park. It has given regular, predictable access to the courts for anyone (whether they are a park member or not), including a safe and friendly space for novices to learn the game, make friends, and become invested in the well-being of the park.

The pickleball community would wholeheartedly support designated times for first-come, first-serve use of the park for both tennis and pickleball, and multiple options were presented by the Seger Park Advisory Council to facilitate an orderly and organized system that could work best for as many people as possible. Some options include fees that can be used (as they have been for many years) to relieve the burden on the city and to maintain the entire park, from the playground to the basketball and tennis/pickleball courts and more. Some options do not include fees but still allow for reservations that players can count on as they organize their time and coordinate for groups to come together to the courts. Additionally, our community supports events like tennis ladder leagues and the Legacy Tennis camp for area youths. To be clear: our request is not for anything that excludes tennis or youth programming.

Additional details and key points for consideration:

• The Seger Park Pickleball Meetup Group has over 4,000 members, consisting of a large group of regular attendees and occasional participants. All hosts are volunteers, and all revenue from the Meetup, as well as from the membership system, goes to Seger Park.
• It is normal and expected that public facilities will support groups and events on a regular basis. This is inclusive of the wider community of Philadelphia and this neighborhood.
• No compromise has been proposed or offered from PPR on this subject, while the Seger Park Advisory Council has provided multiple options in good faith.
• The Philadelphia 250 celebration of our nation is meant to highlight culture and community, and the PPR decision is a clear act against the growing and active pickleball community. It is inconsistent with PPR's mission and the role of the parks to serve the community.

[Add personal story here. Example: I have coming to the Pickleball Meetups for years. I have made my closest friends here, and we view Seger Park as our home away from home...]

I urge you to reinstate the Pickleball Meetup and to accept one of the Advisory Council's proposals for updating the park membership system.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
[name]