Multimillion dollar pickleball facility proposed for Essex Sports Park

The Town of Essex could soon be home to a multimillion-dollar pickleball complex that's being touted as the first of its kind in Canada.

During a news conference Wednesday, the town announced that a private-public partnership is being explored for the development of a state-of-the-art complex as part of the Essex Sports Park.

Picklebarn would be developed on eight acres of the multi-use outdoor sport and recreation complex planned for the corner of Batten Side Road and North Malden Road in Essex.

The Picklebarn proposal would feature 16 professional indoor pickleball courts, four padel courts, one indoor tennis court, a fitness facility, a juice and coffee bar, a bar and restaurant, along with ten additional outdoor pickleball courts.

The proposal comes after the town issued a Request for Interest to gauge interest in the private use of a portion of the land within the designated 70-acre parcel set aside for the Essex Sports Park, which will include baseball diamonds, soccer fields, and tennis courts.

The concept proposal was submitted, is now in the early stages, and is currently under review from town administration.

Scott Hollinsky, President and CEO of Picklebarn, says they want to hold a tournament every month but really want to build something to help bring national-level tournaments to Essex County.

"It's somewhere to bring all the tournaments that are around this area and nationally to come to. That's what we want to see. We want to put Essex and us on the map," he says.

Hollinsky says they also want to help build a sense of community at the facility.

"People don't realize that pickleball is not just about the sport. It's about getting together and meeting people, sitting around, and enjoying the day. I go play twice a day, and it's not just to play. It's to go and talk to the people that are there and play a couple of games here and there," he says.

Evan Hollinsky, Program Manager of Picklebarn, plays competitive pickleball and says the potential is huge for this region and the ability to host tournaments.

"We're playing in gymnasiums at the moment, on hard floor surfaces. It's terrible; it's unprofessional. Especially me being a competitive player, I can't practice on these hardwood floors because it gets a different feel when I go to an actual tournament with an actual pickleball court surface. It's very unprofessional, and we need a facility like ours," he says.

Once approved, construction of the facility could begin later this year with the goal of being completed by September or October of 2025.

The potential private-public partnership of the Essex Sports Park is expected to help the town use funds generated from the partnership to help develop the park while also drawing people from across the region to use the facility.