Its no big dill that Toronto might soon get 30 new pickleball courts

It’s the fastest growing sport in North America, so it’s kind of a no brainer that a new pickleball court just opened downtown.

A partnership between the city’s first Pickleball social club, Fairgrounds and Stackt Market, the court is inclusive of all  players from beginners to elite and is located at 28 Bathurst Street.

The sport combines tennis, badminton, and ping pong on a  badminton-size court, and requires only three items to play: a paddle, waffle ball and a net. The game is  a sensation in many parts of North America, thanks to its simplicity of play, and the fact that you don’t have to channel your inner Novak Djokovic to be good at it. An estimated 72,000 people in Toronto alone have played pickleball in the last year.

And soon, more Torontonians may have the chance to  partake in the pickleball movement.

In response to rapidly growing demand, on Monday, Parks Forestry and Recreation released an eight page report, which reccomends adding more pickleball courts across the city at outdoor skating rinks, under-utilized tennis courts and other city-owned flat surfaces.

“It’s just great the city is committed to growing this popular sport by looking at affordable ways to permit playing on under-used outdoor flat surfaces” said Toronto-Danforth’s City Councillor Paula Fletcher, who has led the push for more pickleball courts. “It’s also another example of how we can provide affordable recreation opportunities for Torontonians.”

The report also calls for for opportunities to add three purpose-built pickleball facilities by 2026 with locations in the north south and east ends of the city.

“Toronto-Danforth now has the most pickleball courts in the city and 45% of all pickleball courts in south Toronto,” said Fletcher. “I’m so happy to have worked with the East Toronto Pickleball Association to find locations where pickleball courts could be added in my ward to accomplish this.”

The report will be considered by the Infrastructure and Environment Committee on June 5, and if adopted will go before city council on June 14.

There are currently 165 pickleball courts in the city and programming for the sport is on offer at more than 50 Toronto rec centres.