New West residents are serving up some good fun throughout the city.
Century House got the ball rolling when it began offering pickleball classes in 2011, a recreation trend picked up by the Queensborough Community Centre after it opened its expanded and renovated facility two years ago.
“Pickleball is really hot,” said Renee Chadwick, manager of the Queensborough Community Centre. “We have gone from one to four drop-in times.”
Although the centre has long been a hub in the community, pickleball has helped to draw some new residents into the facility.
“It’s been a rapidly growing activity and sport,” said Sarad Renyard, recreation leader – older adults at Queensborough Community Centre. “It’s been a lot of fun.”
While many of the participants are from Queensborough, the program has also attracted pickleball players from other New West neighbourhoods. Most of the players range from 50 to 65 years of age, but younger and older folks have been known to join in on the fun.
“Every Tuesday, we have 17 to 20 people,” Renyard said. “There are three courts going.”
Pickleball can be quite competitive, Renyard added, but it’s a recreation-based undertaking in Queensborough.
“We are about having some fun, getting active,” said Renyard, who’s working to increase pickleball opportunities across New Westminster. “It is not focused on being super competitive.”
During spring break, some local youths tried their hand at pickleball and played against some of their elders.
“They were expecting to beat them really easily,” Renyard noted. “Once they started playing, they saw there is a lot more skill to it.”
Along with the community centre, pickleball is also offered at Queensborough Middle School and at an outdoor court in Queensborough in the summer.
“Most of the people we have had have never played anything before,” Renyard said. “It’s a pretty easy to pick up sport.”
Pickleball’s origins trace back to 1965, when it was invented on Bainbridge Island in Washington State. The game, a sort of cross between ping-pong and tennis, involves hitting small, light-weight balls over a low net with a wooden paddle.
In New West, pickleball continues to grow from Century House to Queensborough Community Centre to Centennial Community Centre. In response to requests from pickleball players at Queensborough Community Centre, Reynard has been working with staff at Centennial Community Centre about launching a program on that side of the city. Starting April 12, Centennial Community Centre will be offering pickleball on Sundays from 3:30 to 5:30 pm.
Both programs are offered on a drop-in basis. The cost is $2.50 or people can buy a pass from the community centres.
