When Ontario-based Fairgrounds was looking for large space for its first indoor pickleball facility in B.C., it settled on the old Sears department store location in North Vancouver’s Capilano Mall. “We try to go where the people are, and malls are a good example of the original community hub,” said Carr Norton, the head of programming for Fairgrounds Capilano. “When this facility became available, it was a no-brainer that it aligned with our brand and the population would immediately pick it up.” “We have been looking for something for a few years now on the North Shore. People have to travel a long way to get indoor courts, and something of this standard is just unbelievable,” said Fairgrounds Capilano’s head coach Sam Goode. The facility — which is the largest in Metro Vancouver — officially opened to the public on Friday, offering 15 colourful courts over 60,000 square feet of space. Players can buy memberships or pay for individual court times. “The feedback has just been unbelievable. People are so excited to play,” said Goode. “I think for the mall to have this come in and the local community, even speaking to some of the local retailers they have already seen footfall just massively increase.” Malls need to attract more customers. And with the growing demand for pickleball, indoor courts could be the solution to filling some of the large spaces left vacant when The Bay, Sears and other large retailers went under. “It’s a very aligned concept to fit those spaces, because there’s no big pent-up demand for large footprint traditional retail anymore,” said David Ian Gray, a retail analyst and instructor at Capilano University. “You’re probably going to get a pretty good rent deal. The landlords are motivated to fill it. They don’t need to do major subdivision, although there are some adaptations that have to happen for pickleball,” said Gray. Norton said turning an old department store space into pickleball courts wasn’t complicated. “For us it really was laying down the courts, repainting the walls, putting in the retail space,” he said, adding Fairgrounds has plans to open other facilities in the region. “I think you can expect two to three, maybe four new locations in the next year in the greater Vancouver area.” For pickleball enthusiast Maureen Lum, who is used to driving long distances for indoor play, Fairgrounds opening is an early Christmas present. “At first I couldn’t believe it. Little North Vancouver getting its own 15 courts,” Lum said. “And finally when it opened, I was so excited.”
