St. Albert Welcomes Pickleball with New Pickleball Courts: On Sunday, Raise Athletics in St. Albert held its soft opening for a massive new indoor sports facility, marking a significant milestone for the growing sports community. Spanning an impressive 170,000 square feet on Richardson Drive, the new facility is being touted as one of the largest of its kind in Canada.
A Dream Years in the Making
For Safina Nanji, the director of operations and marketing communications, the opening of Raise Athletics was a long-awaited and personal achievement.
“My family’s been wanting to open for many years. My dad tried to open something like this in 1993, (but) it didn’t pan out at the time.” – (Safina Nanji)
The soft opening provided a glimpse of the facility’s state-of-the-art offerings, which include 22 standard pickleball courts. These courts, which use Laykold—the same surface material used at the US Open—are expected to become a key feature of the facility, especially given the increasing popularity of pickleball across all age groups.
A Hub for Year-Round Sports
Raise Athletics isn’t just for pickleball players. The facility features a wide range of sports amenities, including six basketball courts, six volleyball courts, and four badminton courts, which can also double as pickleball courts when needed.
In addition, the complex boasts a 12,000-square-foot turf area designed for versatile training, and a Shoot 360 virtual basketball training booth, adding cutting-edge technology to the mix.
Nanji emphasized the importance of catering to the growing pickleball community, particularly as the sport has risen in popularity.
Filling the Need for Indoor Pickleball
Until now, locals in St. Albert have struggled to find appropriate indoor spaces for pickleball during the winter months.
“There’s not a lot of room to play in the winter indoors, especially for pickleball … in St. Albert, they end up playing in school gyms with (not-so-great) facilities.” – (Safina Nanji)
With the new facility, Raise Athletics is ready to meet that demand, offering a modern, climate-controlled space for year-round play.
Future Amenities and Tournaments
The facility isn’t stopping at sports courts. Additional amenities include a physiotherapy clinic, a gym, a restaurant, a juice bar, a cocktail bar, a cafe, and a pro shop. Nanji also hinted at the possibility of hosting pickleball tournaments in the future, which would further solidify Raise Athletics as a central hub for sports in St. Albert.
Raise Athletics’ soft launch marks just the beginning, with the full range of offerings expected to make a significant impact on the community’s athletic and recreational options.
News in Brief: St. Albert Welcomes Pickleball with New Pickleball Courts
Raise Athletics, a massive 170,000 sq. ft. sports facility in St. Albert, opened its doors for a soft launch on Sunday. The pickleball facility features 22 pickleball courts, along with basketball, volleyball, and badminton courts.
It also includes 12,000 sq. ft. of training turf and high-tech features like a Shoot 360 virtual training booth. With amenities such as a restaurant, juice bar, and physiotherapy clinic, the facility is expected to become a hub for sports in the area. Future plans include hosting pickleball tournaments.
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