An $8 million sports complex designed entirely for pickleball will be inaugurated next month in Quebec.
Located on Boulevard de l’Ormière, Espace Pickleball will become the very first center of its kind in the region in December.
The 44,000 square foot sports complex promises to become the rallying point for fans of this racquet sport. On site, the construction site is nearing completion.
“My dad was playing in Florida in March 2023 and he needed two more players. The idea starts from there. It’s a very social and enjoyable sport,” explains Vincent Laberge, at the origin of the project with Alexis Foley, who won the Vanier Cup in 2022 with the Rouge et Or.
An expansion
Both athletes and entrepreneurs, the two young men aged in their twenties are impatient to welcome a clientele which continues to increase.
“We saw an opportunity. There was a need and we wanted to offer something of quality and we are ambitious. We did a market study, a lot of research in the United States, and we came up with a project well suited for Quebec. It will be a challenge to reach 18 to 45 year olds, but other age groups too,” adds Alexis Foley.
Starting this winter, fans will be able to enjoy 13 indoor courts, four outdoor courts, a Fradette Sport boutique, a gym, a juice bar, locker rooms and event rooms. The center will also house the Tap Bar, a friendly place like a sports bar where the fun continues after the game. The duo wants to encourage companies to bring their employees there.
Photo Stevens LeBlanc
An experience
“Come and try it!” We don’t know anyone who didn’t like their experience,” concludes Vincent Laberge. The investment is 100% private, without subsidies. The Laberge family notably owns the hardware chain Canac, the door and window specialist Vitrerie Laberge and the materials distributor Manugypse.
The new infrastructure erected near Jean-Marchand Street will be equipped with soundproofing, reverse lighting and controlled temperature for optimal conditions.
Between 2022 and 2024, Pickleball Canada says its membership increased by 226%. In the same period, Pickleball Quebec recorded growth of 200% and now has 17,000 members.
