The Inclusive Place Of Pickleball (IPOP) has opened Vancouver first large-scale indoor facility at Burnaby’s City of Lougheed redevelopment project.

The new 30,000-square-foot facility is also IPOP’s first operating pickleball centre. It is located in a former Safeway store situated on the City of Lougheed site.

The redevelopment is part of a growing North American trend whereby pickleball companies team up with commercial real estate investors, developers and landlords to attract more customers to their locations.

“This facility is a game-changer, allowing people to experience pickleball’s physical, mental, and social benefits in an environment that welcomes all,” said Chris White, IPOP’s CEO and chief paddle officer.

Pickleball is a popular emerging leisure sport that caters to players of all ages, incorporating some rules, and aspects, of ping pong and tennis. The game is played on a tennis-like, albeit smaller court. Players use octagonal paddles that have almost identical features to their ping pong counterparts but are slightly larger.

Similar to a whiffle ball, a pickleball makes a popping sound when it is hit.

The Burnaby location features 10 indoor courts. The facility is designed to allow games to be played during inclement weather, accommodate the Lower Mainland’s rising demand for pickleball and prevent long wait times for available courts.

IPOP has opted to partner with local groups rather than use a franchising business model for the Burnaby facility and others slated open across Canada.

“After extensive research into U.S. and Canadian franchise options, it became clear we needed a different model,” White explained. “IPOP is committed to partnering with individuals, municipalities, and associations using innovative capital solutions and delivery models such as DBFOM—Design, Build, Finance, Operate, Maintain.”

IPOP is leasing the facility from Shape Properties, which is developing the City of Lougheed, a $7-billion, 37-acre master-planned community situated near three SkyTrain stations.

The project is slated to contain 20 towers, new shops and restaurants, and more than five acres of parks. The completed first neighbourhood includes four multi-residential towers containing 1,500 homes, a 22,000-sf amenity facility, and a retail component anchored by PriceSmart Foods. 

IPOP also plans to open new facilities in the Vancouver suburbs of Surrey, B.C., and North Vancouver, B.C., also Victoria, B.C., Nanaimo, B.C., Montreal and Anchorage, Alaska.

The company is scheduled to open a new centre in Penticton, B.C., later in 2025.

“Our goal is to bring inclusive pickleball to the masses and secure access for future generations,” said White.

With a proudly Canadian foundation, IPOP’s growth strategy reflects a commitment to community-focused partnerships, said the company. After assessing U.S. franchise models, IPOP chose to prioritize partnerships with local players, opting for models such as DBFOM (Design, Build, Finance, Operate, Maintain) to keep franchise costs lower.

“Rather than incurring high franchise royalties (as high as 10%-18%), we prioritize partnerships with individuals, associations, and municipalities,” said White.

IPOP was founded by White, along with Praveen Varshney of Varshney Capital and Haneef Esmail of Bristol Management Properties. The organization continues to seek partnerships with real estate owners and investors to further expand access to pickleball across Canada and the U.S.

Pictured: IPOP’s new facility at Shape Properties’ City of Lougheed development project in Burnaby, B.C.

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Image: IPOP