Today, Toronto City Council endorsed the continued expansion of pickleball, North America’s fastest-growing sport, at parks and recreation facilities across the city. Pickleball is an indoor/outdoor paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis.
City Council amended the scope of work for three new planned tennis court complexes to include the development of new purpose-built, stand-alone pickleball courts with lights.
Council also recommended establishing a stakeholder advisory group to guide policy and future program-related decisions for pickleball in the city, similar to the Toronto Tennis Liaison Committee, and ensuring an accessible mix of programs and permits for all ages.
In response to the rising demand, the City has increased the number of outdoor pickleball courts from one five years ago to 165 in 2023. This year, 30 new outdoor courts will be added, either shared with other sports or dedicated to pickleball. Additionally, more than 50 community recreation centres offer pickleball programming.
A purpose-built pickleball court complex in Centennial Park has also been identified through the Centennial Park Master Plan and will be delivered as part of the plan’s implementation. More information on the Centennial Park Master Plan.
City staff continue to assess demand by measuring indoor attendance, tracking requests for new courts and evaluating additional locations for the inclusion of pickleball courts.
Pickleball court dimension lines will become a design standard for community recreation centre gyms, and opportunities for pickleball will be considered whenever outdoor sports courts are being repaired or developed. The City will engage with community tennis clubs operating on City parkland to explore opportunities to support pickleball at those clubs.
A list of outdoor pickleball locations can be found on the City’s website.
Times can be booked at the outdoor courts online.
A listing of indoor pickleball locations and times can be found on the City’s webpage.
This City Council decision can be viewed online.
Quote:
“The City has quickly responded to the demand for pickleball, a highly engaging and accessible sport, by providing court opportunities for play across Toronto. A big part of the attraction of this game is that it can easily be enjoyed by people of all skill levels and ages and its court culture encourages competitive fun and fair play.”
– Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park), Chair of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee
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