4 new dedicated outdoor pickleball courts are now open for use at the West Bench Complex: 115th Street, Osoyoos BC. The courts will be used on a first come – first serve basis. Thanks to the Osoyoos Pickleball Club for their efforts in making this happen.

Although it's great to have 4 dedicated outdoor pickleball courts, there are some issues with the new courts. Learning lessons for the Town of Osoyoos:

• Orientation: unfortunately the courts were laid out in a west to east manner. This means players are looking almost directly into the sun during the early morning and especially the evening. These are the most popular times to play pickleball as its usually too hot during the day. The 4 courts could have been positioned in a north to south orientation within the exact same space, and the sun would not be in our eyes. 
• Spacing: Our courts don't have enough spacing around the sidelines. When someone hits a short and sharp angled ball towards the sidelines (happens every time we play), the ball will hit the fence before bouncing twice making it impossible for the opponent to make a play on the ball. When they try to make a play on the ball, they will run into the fence. Since the fence is only 3 feet tall, there is a danger of players running into the fence and toppling over it. There should be a minimum of 7 feet between the sideline and side fence. This give the players enough space to play within. The side fence (dividing the courts) should always be sturdy and 4ft tall, preventing people from toppling over it as well and as preventing balls from going onto the other courts.

For more information regarding pickleball court construction, visit the USAPA's guidelines: https://www.usapa.org/court-diagram/