Pickleball court center proposed for Bucks County. Here's where to dink and volley

Pickleballers will have another venue to dink, lob and volley if Newtown approves a plan to bring the popular pastime to a shuttered store in a busy township shopping center.

The Planning Commission granted approval in June for an 11-court setup in the former Bed, Bath and Beyond store at the Newtown Shopping Center on Eagle Road. The plan was presented by The Picklr, a chain of pickleball facilities, headquartered in Utah.

If approved by the supervisors at their July meeting, the place could open by early autumn.

“It’s better than an empty store,” said Peggy Driscoll, who chairs the Planning Commission.

The Picklr has laid out what it is, and isn’t, in a note to the township. It’s an exclusive facility that will cap membership at 1,500.

Its 11 courts will be “reservation only” to mitigate adding additional traffic to the busy shopping center. Courts are reserved by the hour, and The Picklr estimates each member will spend no more than 90 minutes in the place, including 30-minute warmup.

Each court allows a maximum four players per reservation, so just 44 members will be present on peak demand days, which are 6 a.m. to midnight Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday and Sunday mornings.

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Driscoll said The Picklr got the spot after the shopping center reached out to several retail companies to take over the Bed, Bath and Beyond. “They weren’t interested,” she said.

The Picklr, though, is ideal for the township.

“Pickleball is a lower-energy, low exertion activity, so it’s ideal for older folks who like to be active but at an easier pace than tennis,” Driscoll said.

Tom Bannar, the facility’s franchisee, said in a letter to the township that The Picklr will be available for corporate events, too.

“The group would have to rent the entire facility in order to have the event during a specific time slot,” he said.

“This is NOT a gym or fitness facility,” he wrote, emphasizing the cap on memberships at 1,500.

“Your average Planet Fitness … (has) anywhere from 8,000-12,000 members,” he said.

JD Mullane can be reached at 215-949-5745 or at jmullane@couriertimes.com.