COQUITLAM, B.C., Mar. 1, 2022 – More pickleball and tennis amenities will be coming to Coquitlam over the next few years to meet rising demand.
The improvements stem from the City’s 2017-2037 Tennis and Pickleball Services and Facilities Strategy, as well as the City’s response to the rise in the popularity of the two sports during the pandemic. Coquitlam staff updated Council Monday on the City’s progress to date and future plans to meet the rise in interest.
Coquitlam’s Pickleball and Tennis Strategy
Public demand for outdoor sport and recreation amenities has spiked during the pandemic, far exceeding the growth anticipated in the 20-year pickleball and tennis strategy the City adopted in 2017. In particular, Coquitlam has seen interest surge in pickleball—a paddle sport that uses a whiffle ball and combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis.
To meet the community’s evolving needs, the City has completed most of the strategy’s short-term actions and made adjustments to significantly improve both quality and access to these services.
Improvements since 2017 have included refurbishing almost all of the City’s 29 outdoor tennis courts and increasing the number of outdoor pickleball courts from three (all shared with tennis courts) to 31.
Planned Enhancements
From 2022 to 2027, Coquitlam is planning to add eight new outdoor tennis courts, eight new outdoor pickleball courts and 12 indoor pickleball courts. Highlights include:
- The City’s first dedicated pickleball facility at Bramble Park this summer, based on a successful pilot project in 2021, by permanently converting three tennis courts into eight pickleball courts;
- Seven new indoor pickleball courts at new facilities in 2022 – four at the Place Maillardville Community Centre and three at the Burquitlam YMCA;
- Updated signs at all outdoor tennis courts in 2022 to reinforce the 30-minute limit for casual drop-in play;
- One new outdoor tennis court at Blue Mountain Park in 2025;
- Three new outdoor tennis courts at Cottonwood Park in 2026;
- Eight new indoor pickleball courts at the Northeast Community Centre in 2026; and
- Four outdoor tennis courts with the potential to add outdoor and indoor pickleball courts at School District #43 facilities, including the future Burke Mountain Middle/High School.
As new pickleball and tennis services are considered and planned, the City will continue to monitor new data and best practices, and conduct detailed site analyses and acoustic studies to ensure new facilities are sited appropriately.
For a listing of local tennis and pickleball courts and a link to book timeslots, visit www.coquitlam.ca/pickleball.