All should have a ball at courts

Pickleball and tennis players are expected to get along well together at a rebuilt recreation area in Peachland.

Two decades-old tennis courts are being replaced, and two new pickleball courts added, at Lambly Park, between 14th Street and Highway 97.

The project, which includes construction of an 11-stall parking lot so people don’t have to leave their vehicles along the highway shoulder, has a budget of $365,000, split between the town and the federal government.

Some consideration had been given to painting multi-purpose lines on the reconstructed tennis courts so they could also be used by pickleball players.

“But we were advised against that because there have been some conflicts between tennis players and pickleball players where there are multi-use courts,” Cheryl Wiebe, Peachland’s community services director, said Thursday.

Pickleball is a hybrid between badminton and tennis. It’s particularly popular among seniors because it gives a good workout while being easy to learn.

There are two or three pickleball sessions most weekdays at the town’s indoor recreation centre. Wiebe says more than 70 townsfolk regularly play the game.

The rebuilt tennis courts and pickleball courts should be ready for use by Canada Day.