Canada’s first public padel and pickleball club is coming to Assembly Park at the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. As of May 17, the Assembly Park location, which is situated just steps from the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station, will offer nine pickleball courts and one padel court with free membership and no initiation fee.

The club, brought by QuadReal Property Group and Fairgrounds Public Racket Club, will be available to all ages and levels at an hourly rate, and will also feature a coaches’ corner, community events, and branded merchandise for purchase.

“In the last few years, we’ve seen a cultural shift to activities that offer more social and emotional value,” Drummond Munro, co-founder of Fairgrounds, said in a statement. “Fairgrounds fosters community by providing social spaces for experience seekers through the power of sport. As padel gains traction in Canada and moves into the cultural mainstream, we want to introduce it to more people in an inclusive way that everyone can enjoy.”

The launch will kick off a full slate of summer activities hosted at Assembly Park over the next few months, including impromptu street performances, gallery openings, outdoor concerts, moving festivals, cultural events, food options, as well as installations.

“Since [its] launch two years ago, we have integrated with local partners to activate ongoing programming for both residents and visitors to Assembly Park,” Jay Claggett, Senior Vice President, Development, QuadReal Property Group, said in a statement. “We are so proud to continue developing this incredible project and invite both Vaughan residents and visitors alike to witness Assembly Park evolve and transform into a hub of creativity.”

In February, QuadReal Property Group and Fairgrounds launched a location at Cloverdale Mall in Etobicoke, with nine pickleball courts. This summer, they also plan to launch padel and pickleball courts at Yonge and Rosehill in Toronto.

Padel, or padel “tennis”, is a racket sport that is typically played in doubles on a court that is slightly smaller than a doubles tennis court. Pickleball — a racket/paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong — is one of the fastest growing sports in Canada also. Players use a flat paddle (instead of a stringed racket) and hit a plastic, perforated ball.

If you’re unsure about these games, Fairgrounds will host a free-to-play weekend at Assembly Park on May 17 – May 20, with activations, a coaches’ corner, and a resident DJ. Click here for more info or to reserve your spot on the court!