Pickleball has grown to become one of the most popular sports in New Brunswick.

Christine Harye, president of the St. Stephen Pickleball Association, said council recently permitted them to use the former skateboard park behind Rotary Field on Queen Street to develop three new courts.

“Based on the quotes that we received it’s around $130,000 for the three courts,” Hayre said in an interview.

According to Pickleball Canada, more than 1.37 million ‘picklers’ nationwide play the game for recreational fun and compete internationally.

The game is a mixture of tennis, badminton, and ping pong. While the game is meant to be played by adults and senior citizens, Hayre says the game is suitable for all ages.

“So it’s not just physical, it’s social. You can develop such good friendships and support within the community it is unbelievable,” added Hayre.

The association will be fundraising to build the new courts.

Hayre said more details will be announced in the near future.