New Taipei in Taiwan Opens Riverside Pickleball Facility Inside Sprawling Metropolitan Park
Taiwan has a new pickleball centre—an eight-court facility inside the New Taipei Metropolitan Park. No less than New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) presided over the opening of this facility on 19 September 2025.
The new facility, the country’s first in a riverside, formerly housed basketball courts that had gone underused for years. To make better use of the underutilised space, New Taipei’s High Riverbank Construction Management Office repurposed the basketball courts to pickleball courts—a move that Mayor Hou believes will revitalise the said space within the Erchong Floodway in New Taipei Metropolitan Park.
In total, the newly installed courts cost NT$6 million (US$198,000). Nearly half of the funds to repurpose the basketball facility came from the central government, according to Liberty Times. The local government footed the remaining balance.
Additionally, the High Riverbank Construction Management Office heavily consulted the Taiwan Pickleball Association for advice on how to build the pickleball courts, and their operational needs.
The new courts will be open until 10:00 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, and until midnight on Friday and Saturday, with the facility well lit in the evening. Aside from Sundays, the venue will also be closed on rainy days, or when the surface is slippery. Play will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
According to Hou, the addition of pickleball courts in New Taipei Metropolitan Park will help encourage more citizens to turn to pickleball for physical activity, as it is easy to pick up, has simple rules, and is suitable for all ages. And with 1,382 hectares of riverside park space, Hou pointed out that New Taipei is in a great position to offer the public more facilities for leisure, or serious workouts.
New Taipei City Councillor Yen Wei-tzu (顏蔚慈) applauded the installation of the new courts, but pointed out that play during summer could be uncomfortable. To counter this, Councillor Yen suggested that the city build shaded rest areas, and install drinking water supplies to ensure the players’ comfort and safety.
