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AUGUST 26, 2026
VOL. 107, NO. 35
Seattle Public Pickle at the Palms Opens in Interbay Library Expects The 20-court indoor pickleball center brings year-round play, coaching, Temporary Service café service and a social hub to the neighborhood. Disruptions Staff Report
Patrons should bring their library cards to check out materials from Sept. 8 through Sept. 15, and hold onto their checked-out materials until early October Seattle Public Library
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BENEFITS TO LIBRARY PATRONS
The new ILS will provide more stability for Library services and significantly reduce the likelihood of service disruptions. The new system will also be more secure and up-to-date thanks to regular cloud-based updates and enhancements. Other benefits to Library patrons include: • New account management features, such as more convenient opt-in text notifications. • Improved borrowing and account management for Mobile Services patrons. • More detailed location information about items in the catalog, which will make it easier to find materials, especially in larger locations like the Central Library. • Future enhancements, such as the ability for patrons to set their own secure account password. Patrons are currently limited to a 4-digit pin. During this project, the Library is also implementing new self-checkout stations at all Library locations, which will be easier to use, more reliable, and better supported by its vendor. A full list of impacts and timeline for expected restoration will be available at www.spl.org/update on Sept. 6, which patrons can check throughout the project.
The Palms is named for the unusual palm trees already on the property. “Building something from the ground up always comes with surprises, and The Palms was no exception,” Gilder said. “There were plenty of moments when we had to problem-solve, adjust and figure things out as we went. That’s part of any project of this scale, but it was also part of what made it so rewarding.” The Palms is named for the unusual palm trees already on the property. That detail became part of the center’s personality, shaping a design concept that blends Palm Springs brightness with Pacific Northwest references. “One of the things I love most about The Palms is the design,” Gilder said. “Sierra and Kyle have always loved Palm Springs, and they wanted to bring some of that energy to Seattle while still making the space feel distinctly Pacific Northwest.” The building includes colorful details, custom design elements and an
QUEEN ANNE & MAGNOLIA NEWS
n September, The Seattle Public Library will transition to a new integrated library system (ILS), the behind-the-scenes system that manages collections, circulation, and patron accounts. The Library will replace its current ILS, which has been in use for over 20 years and is no longer supported by its vendor, with a new and more reliable, secure, and efficient system. This major IT infrastructure project will begin at 6 p.m. on Sunday, September 6 and conclude in early October, with most service impacts occurring through mid-September. All Library locations are closed on Monday, Sept. 7 for Labor Day. During this project, Library buildings will be open as scheduled, programs will continue, and patrons will be able to browse our collections, check out materials from Library staff, and use meeting rooms, study rooms, public computers, Wi-Fi, printers, and scanners. Patrons can continue to check out e-books and e-audiobooks without interruption through the Libby app. However, due to the scope and complexity of this project, some Library services will be temporarily disrupted, including access to patron accounts, the ability to place holds on physical materials, some online services, self-checkout stations, and pick-up lockers. Patrons will also need to bring their physical or digital library card when checking out materials during this time. **Please see the Library’s blog post about this project for a detailed list of what services will and won’t be affected. Because of these disruptions, the Library will extend due dates. We encourage patrons to hold onto their materials a little longer than normal until the project is complete in early October. The Library is fine-free thanks to the 2019 Library Levy. The ILS project is made possible by funds allocated in the 2019 Library Levy, and it is an important goal of the Library’s 2024-2033 Strategic Plan. This major system upgrade will cost $2.96 million.
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ickleball has been popping up on tennis courts, playgrounds and community-center floors across Seattle for years. Now Interbay has a new home for pickleball. Pickle at the Palms, a new 20-court indoor pickleball center at 3435 15th Ave. W., has opened just south of the Ballard Bridge. The facility was developed by Seattle Storm majority owner Ginny Gilder, her daughter Sierra Keeler and son-in-law Kyle Schraeder as a yearround destination for players of all ages and skill levels. The center combines competition-level courts with coaching, technology, food and beverage service, event space and a design style that feels more Palm Springs than a rainy-day gym. “Sierra, Kyle and I are thrilled to introduce The Palms to the Seattle community,” Gilder said in the opening announcement. “It was built on a simple belief that sports have the power to bring people together. We set out to create Seattle’s first purpose-built indoor pickleball center, but our vision was always bigger than a place to play. We wanted to create a place to gather, connect and build community.” That larger vision is visible throughout the building. The Palms has 20 indoor courts across two floors, with PlaySight technology and large-format screens on every court so players can review games and work with coaches. Court lighting was designed for visibility with diffused, zero-glare illumination, and acoustic engineering was built to dampen pickleball sound by more than 50%. The building also includes a lobby pro shop, restrooms, private shower rooms, a mezzanine-level Loft lounge and Mainstay Provisions at The Palms, an all-day café on the same floor as the upper courts and views of the family’s BECU Storm Center. For the ownership team, the challenge was not just fitting pickleball courts inside a building. It was creating an experience.
Pickle at the Palms was developed by Seattle Storm majority owner Ginny Gilder, her daughter Sierra Keeler, son-in-law Kyle Schraeder and their son. east-facing mural by Seattle artist Sam Wood Wilson inspired by the movement of pickleball. Artwork installations in the lobby and elevator lobby were created by Seattle creatives House of Sorcery. The goal, Gilder said, was to make the space feel “joyful and a little unexpected,” not like a traditional sports facility. That matters because The Palms is not designed only for serious players. Fall programming begins Sept. 1 and includes co-ed, men’s and women’s leagues, clinics, junior programs and a four-week Beginner Series with small-group coaching followed by guided open play. “We really wanted to take away some of the intimidation that can come with trying a new sport,” Gilder said. “The goal is for someone to walk in thinking, ‘I’ve never played before,’ and leave thinking, ‘I can do this,’ with confidence.” Schraeder, the center’s general manager, said The Palms is designed to let people use the space in different ways. “We’ve designed The Palms to make it easy for people to play pickleball however they want, whether that means booking a court with friends, joining an open play session, signing up for a league or taking their first lesson,” Schraeder said in the opening announcement. Membership is available for players who want longer reservation lead times and lower pricing, but people do not have to be members to play. The fact sheet lists core memberships at $250 per year for adults and $150 per year for juniors ages 5 to 17, with members and nonmembers paying as they play. The social side is just as intentional. Mainstay Provisions at The Palms is the third location from Ballard locals Thom
Koschwanez and Ashley Thompson, joining existing cafés in Ballard and Denny Triangle. The café will offer sandwiches, salads, pastries, desserts, espresso drinks, smoothies, beer, wine and bottled cocktails. Gilder said Mainstay and The Loft help make the facility more than a place to reserve a court. “We didn’t want pickleball to be the only reason someone comes through the door,” she said. “Mainstay Provisions at The Palms gives people a space to grab great coffee, drinks or a meal and watch the action on the courts, while The Loft creates a space to relax, connect or host a private event.” Early response, Gilder said, has come from experienced players looking for more indoor court access and from firsttimers curious about trying the sport. Visitors have also responded to the building’s look, including the mural, colors and design details. For Interbay, the opening adds another sports destination near the BECU Storm Center for Basketball Performance, around the corner from The Palms. Gilder said the team is focused for now on building the foundation for The Palms, then letting partnerships and community programs grow from there. A year from now, she said success would look simple. “I’d love for The Palms to become one of those places that people simply think of when they’re deciding what to do,” Gilder said. “Maybe it’s a Tuesday night game with friends, a sandwich and a drink after work, a weekend activity with the kids or an event with neighbors.” In other words: not just pickleball, but “I’ll see you at The Palms.”