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Apr 17, 2023

Pickleball growth: Could a Toronto tournament be next?

Pickleball’s popularity in Toronto is on fire — and the city is responding with

Pickleball's popularity in Toronto is on fire — and the city is responding with more courts and programming.

Toronto Pickleball Alliance members expressed gratitude to city staff as councillors discussed a staff report to expand pickleball during the city's infrastructure and environment committee meeting on Monday.

Councillors heard demand for pickleball exceeds courts and court times, particularly at night and on weekends.

Alliance members said they’d like to see the city open four- or eight-court locations to enable pickleball tournaments.

The city has expanded outdoor pickleball courts from one to 165 in the past five years, to become nearly 200 by year's end. City pickleball programming is available in 50-plus community centres.

Councillors endorsed city staff recommendations to Toronto council to include the development of dedicated pickleball courts with lights in three planned tennis court complexes with lights in North York, East York and Scarborough.

The change won't impact the $3.2-million capital cost of the projects planned for 2024-2026, city staff stated.

Pickleball is widely considered the fastest-growing sport in North America.

It's played on a badminton-sized court with a tennis net, large paddles and a whiffle ball.

The highly social, easy-to-learn game makes it popular among all ages and abilities.

Councillors also unanimously supported motions from Eglinton-Lawrence Coun. Mike Cole and University-Rosedale Coun. Dianne Saxe to report back on how the city is doing with introductory program outreach and enabling access to affordable equipment in city facilities, and to recommend Toronto council request the parks general manager create a pickleball stakeholder advisory group, respectively.

CI-BLUERODEO Toronto Danforth Coun. Paula Fletcher put forward a motion in 2022 that Toronto City Council approved requesting the city permit in summer 2022 outdoor pickleball play and add, where feasible, pickleball court lines on underutilized flat surfaces and facilities, including tennis courts, outdoor hockey rinks and various flat dry pad locations, and city staff did.

Toronto-Danforth Coun. Paula Fletcher thanked the Toronto Pickleball Alliance for their advocacy and "leadership" and said she plans to ask city staff, when the city pickleball report goes to Toronto council, to look for locations for tournament play in 2024. David Rider/Toronto Star

Last June, Toronto-Danforth Coun. Paula Fletcher asked the city to create more opportunities for people to play pickleball. The city assessed "dry pads" — outdoor hockey rinks not used in warmer months — for pickleball play, and painted pickleball court lines.

Here's what Fletcher and Toronto Pickleball Alliance members said to the committee:

• Richard Yampolsky, Toronto Pickleball Alliance

"I think the report is a fantastic start and a great first step in establishing purpose-built pickleball courts across the city. … Pickleball demographics have "changed dramatically in recent years" and it is the "fastest-growing activity among 25- to 40-year- olds but the vast majority of city programming is for people 60-plus.

"The demand for play in the city continues to exceed the availability of courts and court times, especially for evening and weekend play."

John Cameron, founder and president of the Etobicoke Pickleball Association, gives the ball a whack during a game of pickleball at the Etobicoke Olympium.

John Cameron, president and founder of the Etobicoke Pickleball Association, gives the ball a whack during a game of pickleball at the Etobicoke Olympium. Dan Pearce/Metroland

• John Cameron, Toronto Pickleball Alliance and president and founder, Etobicoke Pickleball Association

"We play inside in gyms and local community centres and outside on more than 60 pickleball/tennis courts with lines painted by the city. It's amazing to play on tennis courts. We play in the morning when tennis players aren't there. … This movement to have four outdoor locations with more than 30 courts is just amazing."

• Mary Beth Denomy, Toronto Pickleball Alliance and chairperson, East Toronto Pickleball Association

"The city has been terrific. What we’ve got is lines on hockey rinks, which is really central to the East Toronto Pickleball Association. … Lines on one or two courts is great, but for centralized play, what we’re really looking for is four courts, eight courts, places where we can have tournaments and bring people from out-of-town."

Tom Keane is the president and founder of East Toronto Pickleball Association.

Tom Keane is president and founder of East Toronto Pickleball Association and a member of the Toronto Pickleball Alliance. R.J. Johnston/Toronto Star

• Tom Keane, Toronto Pickleball Alliance and president and founder, East Toronto Pickleball Association

"Is there any opportunity to put pickleball courts down in the Port Lands’ development? If there is an opportunity, let us be there for you, and for the future of pickleball players."

• Fletcher thanked alliance members for their advocacy and "leadership".

"Everybody is coming to understand it really is a phenomenon and people love it. People could come to Toronto … for a tournament … and (we) just allow the capacity to do that. I think that's what we should set our sights on next. I will be asking staff when this goes to council to set the stage for looking for (tournament locations) for 2024."

The Muskoka Area Indigenous Leadership Table, comprised of five Indigenous Nations, the District of Muskoka and six lower tier municipalities, have received national recognition for their Muskoka Area Indigenous Leadership Table (MAILT) from the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA).