Reporting more than 100,000 hours of pickleball played locally in the past year, the Sunshine Coast Pickleball Association says it’s time for a year-round facility for the sport.
Association vice-president Brian Chipman and treasurer Carolyne Oughton attended the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) board’s regular meeting July 24 to ask for assistance with securing either space in an already constructed facility or vacant land to build on.
Two vacant parcels of interest to the group include an SCRD property near the Masonic Hall in Roberts Creek and a privately held site on Joe Road currently listed for sale. For either location to be used for sports courts, rezoning would be required, something the group delegation asked elected officials to consider supporting.
The organization representatives pointed to examples from throughout the province where regional governments have been involved in developing pickleball courts, and cited the North Okanagan Regional District's support of a facility in Vernon as a model they would like to emulate.
The board received the delegation's presentation for information.
The request raised questions for District of Sechelt representatives, directors Darren Inkster and Alton Toth. Both indicated they thought the request for land for pickleball courts was to be considered as part of the further development at the site of the Sunshine Coast Racquet Club facility. Chipman responded that the group was under the impression that space had been allocated for another use, and both noted that if the site were to be available, it could be another option.
What does the local pickleball scene look like?
Citing that pickleball “checks off most of the boxes” as a healthy sport for all ages, Chipman said it is “fun and easy to play but hard to master." The association president estimated there are more than 500 players on the lower Sunshine Coast, split evenly between males and females, and that the fastest growing age group playing the sport locally is the 18 to 59 year olds.
Pickleball was invented in Bainbridge, Washington, in 1965, but was established locally in the late aughts. The pickleball association formed in 2014. Along with play at outdoor courts when weather permits, picklers play indoors at the Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre and in some local school gymnasiums.
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