Canada's Pickleball Surge Transforms Retail Spaces into Sports Hubs

The Rise of Pickleball in Canada

Canada is witnessing a remarkable surge in pickleball, significantly altering the retail and commercial landscape. Vacant malls, large retail outlets, and unused office spaces are being repurposed into vibrant sports facilities. A survey conducted in January 2025 by Pickleball Canada revealed that approximately 1.54 million Canadians are now engaged in the sport. Ontario leads with nearly 598,900 participants, while Quebec follows with around 315,000 players.

This rapid increase in popularity has opened new avenues for developers and entrepreneurs. Steven Fry, the founder of Pickleplex Social Club, is at the forefront of this transformation. After a career in hospital construction, Fry launched his first Pickleplex facility in Barrie in early 2025, converting a long-empty Sears store into a dedicated pickleball venue. Since then, Pickleplex has expanded to 13 locations across Canada, with plans for five more by mid-summer. Their model includes both year-round indoor facilities and seasonal outdoor clubs operating from spring to fall.

As the pickleball trend gained momentum, landlords began reaching out to operators to revitalize underutilized spaces. One notable project involved transforming a 7,000-square-foot vacant building near Toronto’s York Mills subway station into a three-court facility after years of inactivity.

Justin Farbstein, co-founder and chief development officer at Pickleplex, emphasized the importance of site selection. He stated, “The first question we ask is whether the location is suitable, and then we consider if it makes sense for our needs. Can we fit courts in? Are the columns too close together?” In suburban areas, they prefer large retail spaces, while in downtown Toronto, where options are limited, they must think creatively. Many downtown locations are either too costly or have insufficient ceiling height.

Pickleplex has also explored unconventional venues, such as a seasonal club on the fourth floor of a parking garage at the Shops of Don Mills and a pop-up at The Well in downtown Toronto. A permanent indoor facility operates from a repurposed airplane hangar at Downsview.

The demand for these facilities has been robust. Since its opening in March 2025, the Pickleplex club at the Shops of Pickering Centre has welcomed over 13,000 visitors.

Developers are heavily investing in these conversions. Dunpar Developments transformed part of the 500,000-square-foot Sherwood Village complex in Mississauga after losing a major office tenant. The conversion of 50,000 square feet into pickleball courts took between nine and twelve months and cost around two million dollars.

Harpreet Bassi, vice-president of finance at Dunpar, noted that the project involved significant structural modifications. “The demolition was the major task, followed by the installation of mechanical and electrical systems. It was a lengthy process,” he explained. “Initially, we thought the space might need to be demolished, but we managed to repurpose it.”

Farbstein pointed out the challenges of such conversions, stating, “It’s a substantial undertaking. You need to create a proper floor and install professional lighting. While many attempt to set up a court, they often struggle with the complexities involved. Transforming a space into a pickleball court is more of an art than a science.”

Other operators, such as Fairgrounds, are also entering the market, converting former retail and dealership locations into pickleball and padel venues in cities like Toronto, Kingston, and Vancouver.

For Fry, this trend signifies a broader change in community space utilization. “Pickleball is revitalizing areas that were once considered dead spaces,” he remarked. With participation numbers on the rise, the sport is not only reshaping how Canadians engage in recreational activities but also influencing how cities rethink and repurpose unused real estate.