(File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Community

Pickleball finds new summer home at Shellbrook curling rink

May 15, 2022 | 12:00 PM

A small group of passionate Pickleball players will soon have a much bigger and weather controlled space to play their favourite game.

Town council has given its blessing for the local club to use the curling rink during the summer months. Sally Jacobsen, one of the community members behind the request, told paNOW the club was delighted town council supported their request.

“It’s a success story to utilize an existing recreation space on a full time basis in the warmer months and the Richardson Pioneer Recreation Centre is a popular gathering spot for the community,” she explained. “It’s a bonus to the community to be able to offer this current sport in a facility with a controlled weather environment.”

Pickleball is a fun racket/paddle sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong and is played both indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court with two or four players using solid paddles to hit a perforated polymer ball over a net.

The curling rink will allow for four pickleball courts.

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Jacobsen, who was introduced to the game four years ago, and became instantly hooked, explained her desire to have a facility where she could play with her friends in Shellbrook, rather than traveling to Prince Albert.

“Shellbrook is a very active community and introducing a new recreation sport will be great for the community,” she said.

The sport was first introduced to the community about three years ago, and the small group of dedicated players were for awhile using a local school gym. However, COVID brought play to a standstill.

Faced with a need to explore other options, the club first looked at new outdoor courts, but learned the cost — over $100,000 — was not in their budget, or the Town of Shellbrook’s recreation budget. However, upon digging a bit deeper, one of the club members discovered the cost of installing special sport tiles that could be easily installed and removed was much cheaper at around $29, 000.

“We decided this was a good option, as we had some funds. Our club received a $20,000 donation in memory of Allan “Bookie” Fitch, a member of our community who was sadly taken very suddenly. He was an active, outdoor enthusiast who enjoyed all sports and would have loved pickleball,” Jacobsen said.

The new sports tiles, which also provide a more consistent bounce, were installed over the weekend. Jacobsen expressed her hope to start playing June 17, with sessions for youth, adults and seniors.

Starting June 24, they will offer an introductory session for newcomers interested in learning the game. It will include 10 sessions of play with four hours of instruction for $40. The club is now focused on growing its numbers.

“Pickleball is fun, social and great exercise for all ages. The rules are simple and the game is easy for beginners of any age to learn, but can develop into a quick, fast-paced, competitive game for experienced players,” Jacobsen said.

Noting how the Richardson Pioneer Centre is also being used for lacrosse during the summer months, Mayor Amund Otterson said both sports can offer the community some extra revenue.

“It’s a few dollars and every few dollars helps,” he said.

The Pickleball club will be charged $100 a month by the town to cover cost of lights and access to building.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell