Pickleplex Social Club celebrated the grand opening of its new Brantford location with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, May 29, 2026.
Richard Lee, who co-owns the Brantford location with his brother Edward, said the roughly 20,000-square-foot facility at 221 Henry St. features eight pickleball courts, including seven full-size courts and one compact doubles court.
“We also have numerous social lounge areas, retail food and beverage, we’ll soon be licensed and we have two amazing event spaces for things like birthdays, reunions and even corporate gatherings,” he said. “One of those spaces is at the back where you have direct access to two courts, and the other is the mezzanine space where you get a whole view of the courts.”
Lee said that Pickleplex is about more than providing indoor pickleball courts.
“Pickleplex is about building a social community through the sport,” he said. “We’re not just an indoor pickleball facility. We’re trying to create a space where people can be active and that is inclusive, safe and fun for all ages and abilities.”
Pickleplex manager James Power said that the reason pickleball has become so popular is because it’s straightforward and suitable for all ages.
“It’s kind of like a cross between table tennis and tennis, but in a way where it’s super fun and simple to pick up and play,” he said. “It’s easy to learn and it’s a great way to stay active and have fun at any age. Whether you’re 20 or 70, people can play together and compete around the same skill level, and that’s what makes it such an inclusive sport.”
Speaking from her own experience, front desk player associate Kristine Pedrosa-Ngo agreed. She said the ease of the game was one of the things that first caught her eye.
“I personally didn’t have any racket sport experience before I started playing at all,” she said. “I got involved because of my family, I saw what they were doing and wanted to join in, and now I love it. I think the easiest thing to do is just try it. You might not know what you’re doing at first but once you get a paddle in your hand, you just hit the ball over the net and that’s pretty much it.”
Lee added, “All you really need is some hand-eye coordination. You don’t have to be that athletic or have a racket background to play. We even offer one-hour sessions called ‘intro to pickleball’ to introduce people to the sport and get them started on their pickleball journey.”
Beyond specific beginner programming, Pickleplex also offers First-Timer Fridays, beginner and skilled open play, leagues, tournaments, lessons, clinics, and coaching, as well as junior and youth summer camps.
Lee said that while players can sign up for memberships, there are also drop-in options and hourly rates.
“People might see ‘social club’ and think that means membership, but we’re not a membership-based facility,” he said. “There are lots of pay-as-you-go options and even our sign says the public is welcome, which makes it different from other types of clubs.”
Lee, Power and Pedrosa-Ngo said that overall, they’re thrilled to finally be open.
“We’re very excited to be open now and the feedback from the community has been absolutely amazing,” said Power. “We’re dedicated to creating a very fun and inclusive community, and having people come out to meet us as staff and socializing with them, getting to know them, is part of the whole goal here.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
