Eight outdoor padel courts and cafe slated for Vancouver waterfront site | Daily Hive

Eight temporary outdoor padel courts and cafe slated for Vancouver waterfront site

Example of a padel (paddel tennis) court. (Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock)

A new recreational and leisure destination could soon activate an underused Vancouver waterfront site.

Wesgroup Properties has submitted a development permit application to turn a vacant lot immediately adjacent to the Fraser River in the River District neighbourhood — situated at the southeasternmost corner of the city — into a pop-up outdoor facility featuring eight professional-calibre outdoor padel courts.

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Additionally, the destination will repurpose a number of shipping containers to provide the courtside amenities of a cafe, snack shop, and a pro shop, along with some office and storage space and other flexible space for community use.

Drawings of the site’s layout also show the provision of on-site washroom trailers, and a future expansion area for a spa. The destination could also potentially hold events.

When complete, this destination will be called “Courtside Social.”

courtside social river district vancouver wesgroup padel courts

Site of Courtside Social at River District, in relation to the neighbourhood master plan, in Vancouver. (Wesgroup Properties)

Example of a padel (paddel tennis) court. (Damiano Buffo/Shutterstock)

“Wesgroup is working to bring a new activation to River District that will occupy part of the waterfront until it is developed in accordance with the masterplan,” a spokesperson for the developer told Daily Hive Urbanized upon inquiry. More details will be released at a later time.

“Padel” — also referred to as paddle tennis — is a fast-growing racket sport that blends elements of tennis and squash. Played in doubles on an enclosed court about one-third the size of a tennis court, the game typically uses glass and mesh walls that keep the ball in play, adding a dynamic twist. Players use solid, stringless paddles, and a ball similar to a tennis ball.

The sport is known for being highly social and accessible, making it popular in urban environments around the world.

Courtside Social’s website currently only features a landing page with very limited information, with text reading that “The future of Padel is coming to Vancouver” and that this will be “More than a club; a sanctuary for movement, wellness, and connections.”

Concept of Courtside Social at River District in Vancouver. (Wesgroup Properties)

The drawings also show Courtside Social’s perimeter will be fully enclosed by temporary fencing made of cedar or covered by a vinyl wrap, with a controlled entry point.

Courtside Social will occupy the vacant lot of Parcel 25 in the East Fraser Lands Official Development Plan (ODP). The adjacent vacant lot of Parcel 28 will be turned into a gravel surface parking lot with space for roughly 80 vehicle stalls to support the destination’s uses.

The level of investment and extensive uses suggest a semi-permanent condition of these facilities, remaining in place for at least several years. It goes far beyond that the typical temporary community garden or dog park setup for sites awaiting future permanent development.

Under the ODP, Parcel 24 is slated for an 11-storey building, while Parcel 28 will see a 15-storey tower. Both sites are located next to River District’s presentation centre, as well as the future elementary school, community centre, and waterfront plaza.

river district vancouver community centre wesgroup

Artistic rendering of the River District community centre. (HCMA/Wesgroup Properties)

river district wesgroup properties vancouver

River District (East Fraser Lands) in Vancouver, 2024. (Wesgroup Properties)

Construction on the 128-acre master planned River District neighbourhood first began 15 years ago. Earlier this year, Wesgroup told Daily Hive Urbanized the neighbourhood’s population has grown to roughly 5,000 residents.

Upon the full completion of over 10,000 homes, including the additional residential density approved in the 2021 master plan changes, River District could accommodate a future population of around 18,000 residents. The full buildout is expected to take about 20 years, as the development is currently about 40 per cent complete. Tower heights in the neighbourhood will reach up to about 30 storeys.

This is in addition to over 500,000 sq ft of commercial office, retail, restaurant, and service uses, with the 2019-opened Save-On-Foods grocery store anchoring the retail village. As more of the development activity gravitates south of the railway, there will be additional commercial space, with retail continuing down along River District Crossing to the future waterfront plaza and community centre. Construction on the community centre is expected to begin in 2026. Altogether, the total building floor area of River District will approach roughly nine million sq ft.

In addition to the significant residential and commercial uses, River District will also provide 27 acres of public park, plaza, and open spaces.

River District (East Fraser Lands) in Vancouver, January 2025. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

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