The city of Guangzhou in China officially opened the Guangzhou Metro Pickleball Centre over the weekend. Located on the mezzanine level of Pazhou Station on Guangzhou Metro Line 11, the facility spans nearly 1,000 square metres and has 10 professional pickleball courts that can accommodate up to 50 players simultaneously. The courts are enclosed with yellow safety barriers to prevent balls from flying out of the play area.
In addition, the Guangzhou Metro Pickleball Centre has a rest and refreshment area as well as a training service area that, combined with the pickleball courts, offer a professional sports experience unlike any other.
Notably, the Guangzhou Metro Pickleball Centre is specially for the Guangzhou communities as it is free, thus providing residents an accessible venue to enjoy pickleball without spending exorbitant amounts.
The Guangzhou Metro Pickleball Centre is open daily from 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., with reservable time slots from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Interested players can book their slots via the WeChat mini-program “群体通” (Qunti Tong), where facilities are searchable for reservations.
The opening of the Guangzhou Metro Pickleball Centre is Guangzhou’s response to residents’ needs for accessible facilities to work on their health and fitness as outlined in the “National Games for All” of the 15th National Games. Turning metro hubs into de facto fitness centres—a pickleball facility, in this case—helps Guangzhou’s residents enjoy professional-level sports experiences in accessible locations.
What’s more, opening the Guangzhou Metro Pickleball Centre is just a first step. According to a Guangzhou Metro representative, residents can also look forward to training courses, competitions and similar events. The goal, the representative shared, is to fully repurpose metro spaces into facilities that integrate sports, recreation and cultural exchange.
