New pickleball courts will go in at Leisure Centre

By COLLIN GALLANT on March 13, 2021.

The city has selected the Family Leisure Centre as the site of a pickleball court facility described in grant applications for pandemic economic recovery projects.--NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

Details are scarce, but the location of a planned pickleball facility will be at the Family Leisure Centre in Crescent Heights.

The plan to build a 20-court pad specific to the recreational sport was first unveiled last October on a long list of projects the city hoped to secure federal and provincial grants for, as part of a stimulus program for the local construction sector.

At that time officials said they were evaluating a number of locations to the $2-million project, but this week, when the city confirmed it met federal requirements, the southeast corner of the large venue was noted.

A brief response to News inquiries for more information states the project is in the design stage, but construction will begin this spring.

The project must begin construction by Sept. 30 and be complete by year-end under the terms of the grant. It is expected to go to tender this month.

Another stipulation of the funding, in this case from the province’s Municipal Stimulus Program, required the city to prove it would not add operational costs that would add to local tax requirements.

Early proposals planned for the new facility to be managed by a local pickleball club, but there is no further information on those discussions.

Such a setup would be similar to the city’s dealings with the Medicine Hat Tennis Club, which leases its city-owned facility in Crestwood for a nominal fee, but is responsible for paying for capital upgrades and major maintenance.

Medicine Hat received all its $7.5-million allotment from the Alberta MSP fund and is also dedicating funds to add full-service camping stalls to Gas City Campground along with comfort cabins ($1.3 million), trail development ($1.7 million), and a $2-million repaving and partial redevelopment the 603 First St. parking lot into event space.

The BMX Track near the Leisure Centre will also receive $500,000 in upgrades to the facility managed by a local club.