Pickleball plan raises fear of ‘whitening’ Florida beachfront community

Fort Lauderdale redevelopment would scrap oceanside basketball courts - and some have suggested a racial motive

A proposal to rip out decades-old public basketball courts on Fort Lauderdale's historic beachfront and replace them with new pickleball facilities has enraged residents, and prompted some to suggest an underlying racial motive.

The two oceanside courts were built within 10 years of a landmark 1962 judicial ruling that ended segregation on the Florida city's beaches. They have remained popular with a diverse crowd of players and spectators since.