As the city revs up to celebrate national pickleball day on August 9, the Peace Country Pickleball Club is preparing to host a celebration in Kin Park’s courts.
The club services Fort St John and Taylor and will host a four-hour event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. – the first two hours will be dedicated to instruction and the latter half of the day will be for play.
Saturday’s event will celebrate the paddle sport, which is described as a combination of badminton, ping pong, and tennis.
Kin Park’s pickleball courts are located at the park’s southern entrance on 96 Avenue, there is limited parking available at this entrance, with more spaces available at the park’s 93 Street lot.
Players are asked to wear court shoes, or other shoes that will not scuff or mark-up the courts. Fort St John’s recreation department also requested they bring their own paddle and protective eyewear, if available.
Newer players who require pickleball paddles have a couple of options to borrow them before committing to the cost – brand new rackets range in price and can cost over $350.
Fort St John’s visitor centre in the Pomeroy Sports Centre offers pickleball packs, complete with two paddles and four balls. Players must pay $15 to borrow the city’s for one week. The city’s public library also offers rentable pickleball sets, they can be borrowed by any adult library card holder, free of charge, for up to two weeks.
The club will also offer some spare paddles and balls available at Kin Park for players who don’t have time for a pit stop.
