Singapore MP Wants MSCP Floors Repurposed into Pickleball Courts, but Proposal Meets Stiff Opposition
The rapid rise of pickleball in Singapore has reached Parliament, with Jamus Lim proposing an unconventional solution to the country’s growing shortage of courts.
Speaking in Parliament on 5 March 2026, the Workers’ Party MP for Sengkang suggested converting the “chronically underutilised” second floors of Housing & Development Board multi-storey car parks into pickleball courts.
Singapore Has a Growing Pickleball Community
Lim noted that Singapore already has at least 5,000 serious players, along with many casual participants, and the sport’s popularity continues to climb. While pickleball offers clear social and health benefits, he acknowledged that the limited number of courts—and persistent complaints about noise—have become major concerns.
His proposal aims to address both issues. The second levels of multi-storey car parks, he said, are often spacious yet underused. By installing sound-dampening curtains, the noise generated by pickleball play could also be mitigated.
Lim pointed out that similar adaptations of public infrastructure have already taken place. Some indoor badminton courts in community clubs, for example, now feature pickleball lines to allow dual use. In addition, parts of the Little India Bus Terminal are being retrofitted to accommodate eight pickleball courts.
He also addressed potential concerns such as safety and height clearance, saying these challenges could be managed.
Lim added that the Housing & Development Board had previously signalled openness to alternative uses for multi-storey car parks. In a 2021 parliamentary reply, then-Minister for National Development Desmond Lee said the agency was open to converting such spaces for communal facilities.
Opposition Is Loud
Public reaction to the proposal has been mixed. Some residents welcomed the idea, noting that many car parks are only partially filled and that converting unused levels could reduce the need to build new facilities.
Others, however, raised concerns about amplified noise or questioned whether the issue warranted parliamentary debate.
Still, supporters argue the proposal reflects the demands of younger communities in estates like Sengkang, where pickleball participation continues to grow rapidly.
