Guelph seniors' association can't keep up with demand for pickleball

The Guelph Wellington Seniors Association (GWSA) is in a bit of a pickle when it comes to pickleball.

The group added pickleball to its lineup of activities over 10 years ago. But in 2022, it put a waitlist in place because the association couldn't keep up with demand and had no additional space for new players to join in. That still remains the case.

Pat Gage, president of the association, attributes this to the group's shifting demographics. 

"We're coming to the end of the baby boomers and there are more people under the age of 70 now that are looking for things to do," she said in an interview on CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition with host Craig Norris. "They retired earlier. Maybe they've retired at 50 or 55."

Gage also believes people are getting into the sport "because they can" from a physical perspective and they like the activity and the social aspect. 

The sport was invented in the 1960s and is akin to tennis, but with a few key differences, which includes the racket and ball used, the size and configuration of the court and the scoring system. 

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Currently, GWSA members play at the Evergreen Seniors Community Centre auditorium and the West End Community Centre. Those spaces can accommodate up to 200 players two to three times a week. They'll use municipal tennis courts that have been converted for pickleball in warmer weather. 

Gage said the GWSA has been advocating to the municipality to try to get more space to play more often.

"We have asked for more hours from the city but I'm not sure that's going to happen to be honest with you because they have to cater to 400,000 people," Gage said. "We're catering to 2,600 to 2,800."

City working to expand pickleball infrastructure 

Gene Matthews, spokesperson with the City of Guelph, said demand for the sport is up citywide and they're working to add more courts.

"South End Community Centre, opening in fall of 2026, will have two gymnasiums that will be multi-lined to include pickleball,"  Matthews said in an email statement. "The current two indoor gyms have pickleball lines and are heavily used for sport."

There are 17 municipal tennis courts that have been converted so they can also be used for pickleball, Matthews said, "to try to catch-up with the demand in the short term." 

As part of their parks and recreation master plan, they also hope to build 11 new hybrid tennis-pickleball courts.