Pickleball players in Sylvan Lake are lobbying for a better facility to play the sport.
With the growth in popularity, some players in Sylvan Lake are looking to raise awareness about the need for more space to play.
Currently, drop-in pickleball is played at either the NexSource Centre or the Wellness and Community Connections Centre, depending on space availability.
Typically, about 35 people show up for drop-in, with more interest in the community as a whole.
Although there is not a club in town currently, about 65 people have expressed interest if the club was made official.
Jody Muth and Stephen Flood said even with a regular drop-in crowds, there are long waits for court time.
“We really don’t have a place to play with a lot of room,” Muth said.
Another problem is that many people can’t come during the noon to 4 p.m. hours.
“While on Friday we do get to play during the evening, other than that there isn’t a lot of time for the working crowd to go. There is also the chance that we lose the space because of an event,” Flood said, adding that some players travel to Red Deer to play.
The group has high hopes for outdoor courts at Pogadl Park, but those are scheduled to be completed until 2030.
Citizens on the Engage Sylvan Lake website page for the Pogadl Park construction have asked about the possibility of more courts.
In response to the question on the page, Director of Park and Protective Services Ron Lebsack said construction plans cannot be changed.
“The design is not flexible due to the massive costs associated with a redesign. It’s not just the redesign of the courts. If you redesign one part, you impact the design of all the other components of the park.”
“Even though we’d love to add more courts, we must recognize, and balance needs and wants. Wants are a lower priority than projects that have significant impacts on the well-being of the whole community,” he added.
A small group of dedicated players is aiming to make a pitch to town council in the near future.
“(In) May, we will go to a council meeting to talk at the open mic and we will also be dropping off a letter to the Town,” Flood said.
Flood hopes the group’s enthusiasm for the sport can help spark some creative solutions to finding more places to play. He has a great passion for the sport and says as a senior it’s more than just a game.
“Playing pickleball keeps me active and there is a big social aspect to it,” he said.
To find out more about when and where drop-in pickleball will be, interested people can contact the NexSource Centre.
