'Can play 365 days a year': 9-court indoor Pickleball Facility to open this week in London, Ont.

Smash Pickleball is the region’s newest indoor facility dedicated specifically to the sport.

Construction of the nine-court, south London complex is nearly complete, and it’s set to open Saturday, Oct. 19.

“Smash was brought together from the love of the sport and unmet need in the industry,” said Ed Sater, a Londoner who owns the business. “We have so many pickleball players and not enough pickleball facilities.”

Located in the former Bad Boy building on Wharncliffe Road, the concept was to bring the community together to eat, drink, play pickleball and socialize.

“The best thing that we wanted to do here was to bring everyone together and an opportunity to go up onto the mezzanine,” said Sater. “It is a 360-degree view of every court in here, so you get to see all the pickleball play.”

A rendering of the future mezzanine and social club at Smash Pickleball in London, Ont. (Source: Thirteen Architectural Inc.)

Sater’s teammates and friends are excited to not only instruct at the facility, but also play.

“It's going to be a game changer for anyone who's playing pickleball in the city,” said Brent Smith, a competitive pickleball player. “Just being able to play 365 days-a-year with a constant 72 degrees. There's a lighting system, the floor itself…from playing on a gym floor to playing on the concrete to playing on wood. Everything is just going to be top notch.”

Smith said that Pickleball is a “slow moving sport which has always been an afterthought.”

He said most courts are either in a gymnasium with different lines painted for badminton, or floor hockey.

“This is just dedicated to pickleball,” said Smith.An overhead rendering of the Smash Pickleball is a nine-court facility on Wharncliffe Rd. in London, Ont. (Source: Thirteen Architectural Inc.)

Fellow player Tanya Constantine is looking forward to the social aspect before and after games.

“There will be ladies clubs, men's leagues, lots of inclusive, different social programs for all different levels and clinics from beginners to advanced,” said Constantine.

Included at the facility will be a 1200-foot retail space, kitchen, social club and licensed area. 

“Play some pickleball, stay a little bit after, meet some friends, and others you may book a court with in a few days,” she said. “I'm excited right now”.

Smash Pickleball  in’t even open yet, and they’ve nearly sold out all memberships at the public facility.

“Membership has its privileges,” said Sater. “Members have 14-day advance booking and guests have up to three-day advance booking. If there's anything that's available within that 72-hour period, guests can come and book the court”.

A few of the courts will take advantage of AI technology where they will be able to input their profile and record their matches.

Another will be painted pink, and all proceeds and funds raised on that court will go to breast cancer.

The building will open Saturday with Lee Whitwell, two-time Major League Pickleball MVP and the #1 women's senior pro pickleball player in the world in attendance.