Pickleball is back at the London International Airport.
The popular community court has been reopened for the season. This is the second year the airport has maintained the free court in a bid to better engage with the community and provide a fun and safe place for public play.
"The London community showed a great deal of interest in the airport’s pickleball court, and we are excited to bring it back for another great season of fun,” Airport President and CEO Scott McFadzean said. “We are thrilled to give back to our community and provide a unique setting for a game of pickleball, while getting the chance to watch our busy runways all summer.”
Pickleball is considered North America’s fastest growing sport. It combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong and is played on a badminton-sized court with a modified tennis net using a paddle and plastic ball with holes. It can be played by people of all ages and abilities.
The airport's outdoor court is located on the northeast side of the parking lot and is free to use between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. For those who don't know the rules of the game, instructions have been posted on the court's fence. Rackets can also be borrowed, free of charge, from the airport’s security operations center, which is located inside the terminal before departures.
Anyone parking at the airport will have to foot the $2 per hour rate, but that money will be used to bring additional games to the facility in the future, according to airport officials.
Already work is underway to establish an outdoor beach volleyball court at the airport. A timeline of when that court will be up and running has not been provided.
