Pickleball Canada:
Pickleball Canada is proud to announce a new strategic partnership with the Inclusive Place of Pickleball (IPOP), recognizing IPOP as an Official Partner in the area of Strategic Facility Development (SFD).
“Our role as a task team partner with Pickleball Canada is one of the highlights of IPOP’s journey,” said Chris White, Co-Founder and CEO of IPOP. “As the only invited private member of the Strategic Facility Development Task Team, we’re helping bridge the gap between non-profit pickleball associations and the corporate world. We want to ensure the sport’s growth is built on sustainability, collaboration, innovation, and long-term community benefit.”
As part of this partnership, IPOP has assisted in the development of Pickleball Canada’s Facility Development Guidebook, created in conjunction with Pickleball Canada’s Facility Task Team – a group established at the end of 2024 and composed of members with expertise in facility development within their community.
The creation of the Task Team stemmed from a nationwide survey conducted by Pickleball Canada in January 2025, which identified a lack of facilities as one of the primary barriers preventing Canadians from participating in the sport. In response, Pickleball Canada established the Task Team in late 2024 to help address this challenge and begin reducing this barrier through the development of the Facility Guidebook.
The Guidebook serves as a step-by-step guide to help individuals, associations, and organizations plan and open new pickleball facilities, addressing key questions such as whether to lease, buy, or build, and outlining the fundamentals for successfully operating a pickleball venue in Canada.
“We’re thrilled to welcome IPOP as an Official Partner in SFD,” said Barry Petrachenko, Executive Director of Pickleball Canada. “This Facility Development Guidebook is a meaningful step toward bridging the gap created by the shortage of pickleball facilities across Canada–something that would not have been possible without IPOP’s expertise and support.”
Through this collaboration, IPOP will provide leadership and expertise to support Pickleball Canada’s national efforts in facility planning and development. The partnership is designed to accelerate the creation of high-quality pickleball infrastructure nationwide, giving communities of all sizes greater access to safe, sustainable, and inclusive places to play.
In addition to facility development, Pickleball Canada and IPOP will collaborate on player development initiatives, including youth programs, referee training, and collegiate and high-school engagement, to create clear pathways from grassroots participation to competitive play.
By combining IPOP’s hands-on experience with Pickleball Canada’s national reach, the two organizations aim to simplify the path from concept to completion, offering practical, evidence-based guidance that supports the sustainable growth of pickleball facilities across the country.
The Facility Development Guidebook is freely available on the Pickleball Canada website.
