How to Try Pickleball in Vancouver

Playing pickleball

Photo: Joan Azeka/Unsplash

Pickleball has become one of the fastest-growing sports in North America in the last five years. It’s easy to try this beginner-friendly racquet game in Vancouver.

 

What is Pickleball?

Pickleball is a racquet sport that is similar to casual forms of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. The game was invented just south of Vancouver on Bainbridge Island, Washington in 1965. It’s easy for beginners to learn and is a great sport for all ages and abilities thanks to smaller courts, a slower playing speed, and easy-to-understand rules.

This popular sport can be played on outdoor courts or indoors on temporary courts in gymnasiums or community centres. All you need to participate is a simple pickleball paddle and ball. The paddle is solid and a little bit larger than a ping-pong paddle but smaller than a tennis racket. Balls for pickleball are hollow and perforated with holes, similar to a whiffle ball. You can buy paddles, balls, and portable nets at many sporting goods stores.

The sport can be played either as doubles or singles. Many local community centres offer pickleball lessons or meet-ups. You can also join one of Vancouver’s many pickleball clubs.

 

Where to Play

The city of Vancouver has several permanent outdoor pickleball courts. Pandora Park in the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood has six courts. There is one court at John Hendry Park at Trout Lake. And Queen Elizabeth Park has four courts.

During summer 2022, Vancouver is also running a pop-up pickleball project where some tennis courts will be temporarily converted into pickleball courts using portable nets and chalked non-permanent court lines. Each tennis court can fit four pickleball courts, allowing more people to play. Check the Pop-up Pickleball Project website for locations, dates, and more info.

Many other municipalities around Vancouver also have pickleball courts. In some places, there are permanent pickleball courts. In others, temporary pickleball nets are available for participants to set up and use on tennis courts. For more information, check the pickleball section of the websites for Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey, Coquitlam, and Pitt Meadows. You can also find additional pickleball court listings on the websites of local pickleball clubs.

The thwack of pickleball rackets hitting balls is a bit louder than tennis, so respect court closure times so you don’t disturb nearby residents.

 

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