50,000-square-foot Pickleball ‘heaven’ unveiled near Ward Church

A dormant parcel of property owned by Northville Township’s Ward Church has been transformed in just over a year into the site of a bustling, fun-generating pickleball palace.

The Northville Pickleball Club opened its doors to the public for the first time this past weekend and — Wow! — were its visitors impressed.

“A few of the comments I’ve heard range from ‘This is pickleball heaven!’ to ‘This space is so beautiful!’,” said Christy Howden, an operating manager of the state-of-the-art 50,000-square-foot facility.

“When I first saw the plans for this on paper, I thought it was going to be amazing. Obviously, there are challenges along the way from going from the planning stages to the finished product, but it’s all been worth it. People have walked in today for the first time and they’re so impressed, their jaws drop.”

Founders are pickleball aficionados

Howden is recognized nationally as a forerunner in the pickleball facility industry after opening wildly-popular Wolverine Pickleball in Ann Arbor in December of 2023, so she knows a fabulous facility when she sees one.

So does co-owner Michael Kowalczyk, who along with business partner Mike Schmitt visited over 50 indoor pickleball venues throughout the country last year as they sought ideas for amenities for their dream business.

“We wanted to learn what works and what doesn’t work,” Kowalczyk said, referring to he and Schmitt’s cross-country odyssey. “We incorporated everything from state-of-the-art lighting, to fencing, to first-class amenities because we want this place to be a second home for pickleball lovers.

“Our No. 1 goal is to make the public feel welcome here. We coined the phrase: ‘Audacious hospitality’, and I think we’ve pulled it off.”

A happy place

As Kowalczyk spoke about the facility during Saturday’s open house for family and friends, it was hard to find a face that wasn’t adorned with a life-is-good smile — impressive considering hundreds of people stopped by to check out Northville Township’s newest crown jewel.

The owners thought of everything — including what programming appears on the venue’s multiple TVs.

“While you’re waiting for a court, or visiting with your friends in our lounge/bistro area, you can watch ESPN or pickleball-centered channels on the TVs,” Kowalczyk said. “But there will be no news channels available. We want the people who visit us to be able to unplug, decompress, socialize and get some exercise, not worry about what’s going on in the world.

“We’re all about health and wellness — physical and mental.”

Compelling origins

Kowalczyk, a member of Ward Church who is retired from Livonia-based Valassis, explained how the idea the Northville Pickleball Club came to fruition.

“It was actually born at a Christmas party,” he revealed. “A friend of mine told me she was going to host a pickleball event at Ward Church. I told her, ‘Be prepared to be over run’ (he smiled). When she asked me what I meant, I told there are very few places to play pickleball in this area, so you’re going to have a lot of players show up.

“When I talked to her the day after her event, she said there was a line of players wrapped around the building waiting to get in.”

To make a detailed story short, Kowalczyk’s friend approached Ward’s elders and trustees and proposed the idea of building a facility on the vacant property just north of Six Mile Road.

“They loved the idea, but they admitted they weren’t in the pickleball business so they weren’t sure what steps to take,” Kowalczyk said. “This was a huge undertaking, obviously, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the collaboration we received from Northville Township leaders.

‘Northville Township embraced our vision’

“We needed help and the Township embraced our vision. They liked that we wanted this to be a public facility, not private.”

Half of the venue’s 16 courts feature a softer surface than the remaining eight, which are designed more for more advanced play — although beginners and professionals are welcome to play on all of the 16 courts.

“The southern-most eight courts have pro pickleball plus courts, which means they are slightly softer than the pro pickleball courts that are located more in the back of the building,” Kowalczyk said. “When you’re playing, the softness is indistinguishable; but the next day you appreciate it because your joints aren’t as sore as if you’re playing on the harder surfaces.”

All ages, abilities welcome

Howden said one of the greatest appeals of pickleball is it can be enjoyed by everybody, regardless of age or athletic ability.

“You’ll see people playing together or against one another who may have a 30- to 40-year age span,” Howden said. “No matter your age, you’re going to have a great time. That’s part of the magic of pickleball.”

The Northville Pickleball Club has a well-stocked pro shop and 10 professional instructors, whose aim is to teach you the basics of the sport.

“This is a great venue for special events, too,” Kowalczyk added. “You can reserve courts for wedding rehearsal get-togethers, bachelorette and bachelor parties, company bonding events — you name it,” he said.

How to get started

The facility’s leaders recommended reserving a court at least one week in advance of your planned outing on its website.

Modestly-priced memberships are available that give members certain booking privileges and lower rates.

“But non-members will receive the same great hospitality members receive,” Kowalczyk assured.

Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.