The District of Invermere and the Invermere Pickleball Club gathered Tuesday to celebrate the groundbreaking for the Pynelogs Pickleball Courts, which are expected to open in Invermere in 2027.
Construction is expected to begin in the coming months, with the facility scheduled to open by fall 2027.
The gathering marked the culmination of several years of planning, with club members, district staff, the mayor and council searching for a suitable location for the development.
“This is quite the day, and we’ve been waiting for this for a long, long time. I quite honestly think this is going to be a great spot.” said Mayor Al Miller.
Pickleball has become the community’s fastest-growing sport and growing demand for courts has outpaced the club’s current shared facility. The new complex will provide additional space for the sport to expand, allowing the club to host larger tournaments, coaching and camps while attracting more visitors to the Columbia Valley.
“We’ve been working towards courts in Invermere for several years with the District, and it’s a big deal,” said Lisa McIntosh of the Invermere Pickleball Club. “We’re ready for the next stage of pickleball, and we’re going to put in eight courts. What that’s really going to allow us to do is hold tournaments.”
The project will feature eight new pickleball courts including two that are wheelchair accessible, along with acoustic fencing to reduce noise for neighbours and additional safety next to the Rotary Ball Diamond.
The project is estimated to cost $660,000. Funding from the district through the Resort Municipality Initiative, along with community fundraising and grants, has covered about 30 per cent of the total cost so far.
Mayor Al Miller said the district has required very little funding from Invermere taxpayers for the project and plans to rely on additional fundraising, sponsorships and grants to close the remaining funding gap.
To learn more visit www.ipbclub.ca.
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