Pickleball’s Surge Forces Closure: Two popular riding facilities in British Columbia are shutting down to accommodate pickleball, a rapidly growing sport. Send Air, an indoor airbag training facility on Vancouver Island, and Gleneagles Adventure Park in West Vancouver will cease operations, sparking frustration and support from the community.
Send Air Faces Closure Due to Rent Bidding
Send Air, located just outside Parksville, announced it will shut down on May 1st after a pickleball company outbid them for rent. The facility, which features a range of airbag setups for training, has been a key location for riders looking to progress safely. In a statement on Instagram, Send Air confirmed the news:
“Send Air will be closing for the foreseeable future on May 1st, A pickle ball company approached the owners of our facility and far outbid any rent price we could afford, so business is business and Send Air has to go.”
The facility’s owner noted that finding a replacement space will be challenging due to the specific requirements needed for training.
“Our sport has very specific needs for our building, about a 40 ft roof is required and 15,000 sqft, so getting a replacement building isn’t as easy as signing a new lease down the road and setting up the ramps, this type building is actually quite rare and expensive to build and therefore rare and expensive to rent.”
For now, the future of Send Air remains uncertain.
“For now the send air dream will be on pause, I have to decide what comes next and figure out the best way forward without having our facility.”
“Cheers to all you legends who have came here to shred and support my vision, its been a wild ride”
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Gleneagles Adventure Park to Be Redeveloped
West Vancouver’s council has approved $28,000 in funding to explore replacing Gleneagles Adventure Park with four pickleball courts and a multi-use pump track. The skatepark and dirt jump park have been a hub for riders for over 20 years, attracting athletes from around the world.
The proposed changes have divided the community. Some believe the redevelopment will provide more inclusive recreation options, while others argue it will be a loss for youth and Olympic hopefuls in sports like skateboarding and BMX.
Critics argue the facility should be preserved. A Change.org petition proposes an alternative plan—removing the dirt jumps for pickleball courts while keeping the skatepark.
What Comes Next?
With Send Air shutting down and redevelopment plans moving forward for Gleneagles Adventure Park, riders and athletes face limited options for training in the region. While pickleball’s popularity continues to grow, the debate over how communities balance recreational space remains unresolved.
News in Brief: Pickleball’s Surge Forces Closure
Two riding facilities in British Columbia—Send Air and Gleneagles Adventure Park—are closing to make way for pickleball. Send Air was outbid on rent, while Gleneagles faces redevelopment into a pickleball and pump track facility. The changes have sparked debate about recreational priorities and the future of riding sports in the region.
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