Boston Pickle Club proposes pickleball location on South Coast
NORWELL – South Shore pickleball players, get your racquets ready: A new indoor pickleball facility is planned for Norwell.
The Boston Pickle Club plans to open a second location in the industrial park at 77 Accord Park Drive, which will serve as an anchor on the South Shore. In April, the club opened its first location in Boston’s Hyde Park neighborhood.
The 28,000-square-foot facility on the south coast would accommodate 10 courts, a lounge, lockers and areas for stretching and fitness.
“The beauty of pickleball is its inclusive nature,” Stephen Hauck, co-owner of the Boston Pickle Club, told The Patriot Ledger. “It really is a game that is for everyone.”
Hauck went to Norwell’s zoning board on June 26 to request a special permit. The hearing was postponed until July 17 as the board requested more information about parking availability.
The Boston Pickle Club is open to the public but offers memberships that allow pickle players to book courts 10 days in advance. The general public can book courts up to three days in advance.
Unlike establishments like PKL Boston — which have more of a party vibe with food and drinks — Boston Pickle Club focuses on health and fitness, Hauck said. While the Norwell facility has the ability to host catered events, there is no on-site kitchen to regularly serve food.
Pickleball has grown in popularity in recent years. It’s a team sport that can be played regardless of age or skill level. There’s even a US Open Pickleball Championship where pros and amateurs have competed since 2016. On the South Shore, there’s another indoor pickleball facility in Hanover, aptly named Pickles, which opened in 2021.
What is pickleball?
Pickleball is an easy-to-learn, accessible racket sport where reaction time, precision and strategy are key to winning. According to Sports Imports, the game combines elements of table tennis, tennis and badminton.
In this game, two or four players hit a hollow ball with holes in it over the net on a reduced-size tennis court.
Will the new pickleball courts in Norwell be loud?
Because Norwell’s pickleball facility is indoors, neighbors — even those standing right outside the facility’s door — won’t be able to hear the classic “pop” of the ball making contact with the racket, Hauck said. He said additional measures are being taken in the ceiling, reception and lounge area to improve acoustics.
Hauck said he hopes to open the Norwell location by Nov. 1 if the building department grants special permits later this month. Hours would likely be similar to the Hyde Park location, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The owners of the Boston Pickle Club hope to expand their facility along Interstate 95 to eight to ten indoor pickleball courts over the next five years.
When was pickleball invented?
Pickleball was invented in 1965 by three fathers – Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum – to provide a fun pastime for their families, according to USA Pickleball. Back then, it was played with a Wiffle ball, but today there are perforated plastic balls made specifically for the sport.
Why is it called pickleball?
According to the Long Cove Club, there are two competing stories about the origin of the sport’s name. Pritchard’s wife, Joan, says she started calling it pickleball because “the combination of sports reminded me of the pickle boat, where the rowers were chosen from the remains of other boats.”
Hannah Morse covers growth and development for The Patriot Ledger. Reach her at [email protected].
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