Edmonton’s tennis community concerned over potential loss of courts to pickleball popularity – Edmonton
A courtroom battle of kinds is heating up between tennis and pickleball gamers in Edmonton. As the recognition of pickleball explodes, the town could possibly be changing present tennis courts into pickleball courts.
The 2 video games have similarities, however relating to courtroom measurement, they’re completely different and that’s creating battle.
“It takes up one quarter of the area than a tennis courtroom performs on,” stated Doug Fogg with the Edmonton Pickleball Membership. “Normally a tennis courtroom you’ll have two enjoying on (it). We may have 16 folks enjoying pickleball on a courtroom.”
Pickleball recognition has exploded and area to play is restricted, Fogg stated, notably in Edmonton the place there simply aren’t sufficient courts.
“It’s form of disgrace in some respects.
“Purple Deer’s obtained 20 pickleball courts constructed by the Metropolis of Purple Deer, Sherwood Park has 12 everlasting pickleball courts, 12 courts in Stony Plain, 12 courts in St. Albert.”
So the pickleball neighborhood is trying to take over some tennis courts.

Tennis Edmonton stated which means it is going to be dropping some prime enjoying actual property to the Coronation Park Group Sports activities Centre undertaking to fulfill this rising demand.
“The town is definitely going to tear down the tennis courts right here at Coronation and they’ll change it with solely two tennis courts and a few pickleball courts,” Miranda Smith, with Tennis Edmonton, stated.
The town stated it’s nonetheless reviewing how the courtroom area might be used however that, regardless, a 50 per cent discount of the present tennis courtroom footprint might be wanted.
Smit stated it’s a giant loss to the neighborhood and gamers which can be generally needing to attend as much as one hour simply to play.
“I’ve nothing towards pickleball however we have to do sufficient to verify each sports activities exist and never create a form of competitors setting,” Wallace Chan with Tennis Edmonton stated.
“Accessible tennis courts in Edmonton are notably low once we have a look at different cities of an analogous measurement throughout Canada,” Tennis Alberta Govt Director Alan Mackin stated.
Chan stated he needs the tennis neighborhood was particularly consulted.
Each teams stated there’s an excellent less complicated reply: paint new strains on present tennis courts with minor modifications, which might work for everybody.

© 2021 World Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.