Airdrie's ever-growing number of pickleball players will be pleased to learn there will be more courts dedicated to their sport coming soon. According to Phil McNeil, the team lead for the City of Airdrie's parks department, contractors will begin repaving the tennis courts at East Lake Regional Park in the first week of September. In order to address the rising demand for pickleball, he said two of the existing four tennis courts will be converted into six pickleball courts. “The growth and popularity of pickleball has certainly exploded,” McNeil said. “We’ve certainly seen the effects and the popularity of it seems to be increasing every year.” Pickleball is a racket or paddle sport derived from tennis, using lighter paddles, hollow balls, and played on a badminton-court-sized surface. While the sport was conceived in the 1960s, (according to USA Pickleball's website) its popularity has increased in the last 10 years, largely thanks to snowbirds who have brought the activity back to Canada with them from southern United States. In Airdrie, there are four outdoor courts dedicated to pickleball on Main Street near Nose Creek Regional Park. The $80,000 courts were unveiled in 2018. But as members of the Airdrie Pickleball Club are quick to point out, the popularity of the sport locally has only gone up since the Main Street courts were completed, and there's a growing demand for more space to swing their rackets. Nathan Martin is one of the Airdrie Pickleball Club's board members. He said the club was formed in 2016 and now boasts 175 members – though their Facebook page has more than 500 members. He said he met with City officials earlier this summer to determine a plan to better satiate the appetite for more pickleball courts in town. “There’s quite a high demand for [courts],” Martin said. “At the most popular times of the day, when you go to those Main Street courts, there will be 30 to 50 people there trying to fight for the four courts. “We’re definitely in need of more space.” While the six new courts at East Lake Regional Park will be highly welcomed by local pickleball players, Martin said club members hope the City won't stop there, and that additional courts can be built in the future. He noted City officials have mentioned the possibility of pickleball courts being included in area structure plans for future subdivisions on the west side of Airdrie. The local pickleball enthusiast said it's not hard to pinpoint why the sport has become so popular in the last several years. He said it's easy to learn and can appeal to a wide-spanning demographic of all talent levels, noting that sometimes a foursome of 70-year-olds will be playing next to a group of 10-year-olds on the adjacent court. “It’s something that young kids are starting to pick up,” Martin said. “Last year at this time, the average age of our membership was 65. Right now currently, the average age is 58, so we’re starting to see that trend of more young people starting to play, which is awesome. “But it’s something that’s fairly easy to pick up. You can play it recreationally, or if you want to get more serious with it and play more competitively…it’s something that fills that competitive edge.” Looking farther into the future, McNeil said one of Airdrie’s future neighbourhoods – Wildflower – will have pickleball courts built into their park design, and he also cited an incoming court development in Windsong. “With the popularity of pickleball increasing and with the new developments, we’re seeing pickleball courts being included in their park designs,” he said. “There are a few courts coming in the next years through development.” According to McNeil, the upcoming renovations to the courts at East Lake Regional Park will likely last a week or two, depending on weather conditions. The courts will be closed while the contractors work on them. Martin said the Airdrie Pickleball Club will be holding its annual general meeting for members on Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. at Genesis Place Recreation Centre. He said those interested in becoming members should inquire through the club's Facebook page.