Pickleball players turned out en masse on Thursday to plug a $276,900 project that would see the city gain an additional 12 outdoor pickleball courts. The sport has exploded in St. Albert over the past year, with the St. Albert Pickleball Club nearly tripling its membership from 100 to 291. Currently, if the club uses four temporary nets, the club has a maximum of 10 courts to play, accommodating 40 members. Club president Eileen McClean delivered a presentation to council Thursday with the support of more than 50 club members, many of them wearing blue shirts. "On many occasions, we have to turn members away as we have 40 people playing while we have a queue of people waiting to join in," she said. McClean's presentation received an enthusiastic response from councillors, as well as an emotional one from Mayor Cathy Heron who recalled the support the sport had received from former politician Len Bracko, who passed suddenly in August. "He was persistent on the growth of this sport ... I'm sure he would love this today, and the support," Heron said. The project is in the city's municipal capital growth funding for 2018 and councillors said Thursday the club can expect it to go forward as planned, barring any unforeseen changes to the city budget. "At this point, your project is on the to-go list," said Coun. Sheena Hughes amid cheers from the crowd who showed up in council chambers to support the pitch. Councillors will vote on the budget on Dec. 18 The plan is to take two existing tennis courts at Alpine Park in Akinsdale and turn them into 12 permanent pickleball courts. The project includes asphalt work, surfacing and lining of the court, post and net installation, fencing, signage, wind screening, bench installation and site signage as required, for a total cost of $276,900. The club itself has saved up $10,000 to put toward the project and has applied for two grants worth a combined $175,000, which if awarded could be used to offset the project's costs. McClean pointed to surrounding municipalities as examples of what St. Albert's pickleball infrastructure could look like. Spruce Grove opened a 12-court facility this summer and now has a total of 18 courts; Strathcona County has 14 and Edmonton has six new courts and four temporary ones. Some of those municipalities have hosted pickleball championships as well. "Our club has more members than any of these clubs," McClean said. "We as a club are still carrying around temporary nets in the trunks of our cars. We need to change this and be able to reciprocate to the friends we have made in the pickleball community. Our members want to be proud of our facilities and be able to host the same kind of activities that they attend in our surrounding communities." As the club continues to grow, McClean said they have plans to develop a youth group in the summer of 2018. "We will be the only club in Alberta to have a youth program in their club," McClean said, noting the club has taught more than 200 local junior high school students to date.
