A recent community poll on Vancouver Island Pickleball’s Group Page is testing local appetite for something many Nanaimo pickleball players say the city lacks: a dedicated indoor facility. The early response suggests strong interest.
FACEBOOK POST
The poll, shared by organizer Jagjit Singh under the banner “Nanaimo Pickleball Community Poll,” asks a straightforward question: “If an indoor pickleball club opened in Nanaimo, would you join?”
Respondents are invited to comment on how often they play, where they currently play, whether local courts are crowded, whether they would pay $60 to $100 per month for unlimited indoor play, and what features they would like to see.
The campaign encourages participants to like, share and tag fellow players in Nanaimo, Cedar, Ladysmith, Chemainus, Parksville, Qualicum Beach and Duncan, signalling that organizers hope to draw interest from across the central and south Island. According to the poster, the feedback will help determine whether Nanaimo needs a dedicated indoor pickleball facility. Included below are comments from the Singh’s Facebook post.
Players report crowded courts and weather limits
Players described a patchwork of outdoor and church-hall options that can leave players waiting for court time or shut out when the weather turns.
Bob Parker, who plays five days a week at Beban Park, Oliver Woods, and Nanoose, said demand is outpacing supply. “…[There’s] new people learning pickleball all the time, we need a full time indoor facility badly,” he wrote. He said Beban is crowded in the mornings, so his group plays in the afternoon. He said he would pay $60 to $100 a month for a temperature-controlled facility with good lighting, and would prefer a location in the city’s north end.
Faye Hollett, who plays three to four times a week indoors in Ucluelet, said a Nanaimo facility would be a welcome stop when she travels down Island. She described Oliver Woods as “too crowded and dangerous with not enough room to really maneuver,” and added that “for the size of Nanaimo it’s quite shocking that there are not more facilities to play indoors compared to other areas.”
Claudia Travassos would like to play more, said the courts are pleasant “but only when weather is good.” She called $60 a month for year-round covered courts reasonable, and said the community needs a place “where we can book courts, have lessons and build a strong community.”
Rogerio Travassos splits his week among several venues, playing twice weekly at Oliver Woods, once each at Harvest Church and Holy Trinity Catholic Church, and three times at Beban Park. He also described $60 a month for public covered courts as reasonable.
Social play and flexible pricing
As is common in the pickleball community, players have emphasized the social side of the game.
Suzanne Nuttall, finds the courts “always busy,” said she would pay $60 a month for an indoor venue. She would like a space to socialize before and after play, along with social leagues, tiered play, programs from beginner to advanced, and court reservations.
Dawn Wennberg, who plays at Departure Bay with a group of women, said she would accept a yearly membership fee plus a reasonable per-play charge. With evenings growing darker as fall arrives, she said an indoor option would be a welcome change. She closed her comment with an encouraging note: “Build it & they will come!”
What the responses suggest
While the poll is informal and not a scientific survey, the comments point to common themes: crowded outdoor courts, dependence on good weather and daylight, and a scattered mix of venues. Across the responses, $60 per month emerged as a price point several players called reasonable, with one respondent open to paying up to $100 for a climate-controlled space with quality lighting.
Whether the interest translates into a brick-and-mortar facility remains to be seen, but organizers say the community’s feedback will help guide that decision.
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