It's pickle season in Bracebridge!

Forget your dills. Bread and butter are out. It's pickleball or bust!

What’s pickleball you ask? Only one of the fastest growing recreational sports out there! It combines the stamina of badminton and the thrill of ping-pong with an exorbitant amount of fun into an energetic game that is fun for all ages.

In Bracebridge, pickleball is a hit! Picklers of all ages, and from all around Muskoka, regularly hit the courts both at the Sportsplex and Kelvin Grove Park to practice their skills, compete with friends and get in a solid workout. The flexibility of having both indoor and outdoor courts give local athletes the opportunity to play and practice all year long. Every year picklers look forward to the Town of Bracebridge’s Court’s in Session tournament that sees up to 30 athletes come out and play as they compete for prizes and glory. Keep an eye out for the 2023 Spring/Summer Leisure Guide for details on next years event.

All of that play and training paid off for some local picklers recently as they competed at the Ontario Senior Games in the Haliburton-Muskoka District 11 Pickleball Tournament in June.

Congratulations to:

• Gloria Gardiner and Mark Patterson of Port Carling for their gold medal win in the Mixed Under 65 division,
• Gloria Gardiner and Jill Coates of Bracebridge for their bronze medal win in the Ladies Under 65, and to
• Bracebridge’s Patrick Kernohan and Wayne Forth for their bronze medal win in the Mens 65+ age group. 

At the end of June, it was off to the Canadian National Pickleball Tournament in Kingston where 13 players represented the Muskoka area. This tournament attracted the most skilled players from across Canada. Congratulations to Bracebridge’s Graham Hall and his partner Keith Graham who took home the bronze in the Men's Doubles Age 70-79, and to Patrick Fleming who took home the silver in the Men's Singles Skill 35+.

A big round of applause for all of the Muskoka-area picklers who took place in these tournaments and left it all on the court.

The Town of Bracebridge is excited to have six new indoor pickleball courts in the future Muskoka Lumber Community Centre. This will give athletes and enthusiasts the opportunity to play and stay active year-round. This state-of-the-art facility is slated to open in the spring of 2024, just in time for outdoor play.

 Want to give pickleball a try?

There are four outdoor courts at the Kelvin Grove Park available for community use. Grab a racquet and a friend and give it a go. Register for a drop-in session today!

To learn more about the Muskoka Lumber Community Centre, the featured amenities and ways to be involved, visit engagebracebridge.ca.