Spectacular new pickleball facility taking shape in Canton
A rendering of the new pickleball club slated to open in Canton as soon as March of 2025.
Approximately 37,000 square feet of pickleball paradise is on the verge of opening in north Canton.
On Monday afternoon, while standing in the massive former Ronda Drive warehouse they are converting into a much-in-demand pickleball facility, Pick US Pickleball Club founders Lei Sun and Yilin Yin described their vision to Social House News Editor-In-Chief Ed Wright.
Their voices, coated with the anticipation of the looming grand opening, bounced off the walls of the now-bare-but-soon-to-be-bustling building — the transformation of which has already included the installation of high-grade lighting and the end-to-end painting of its sprawling ceiling.
“We’re super-excited, especially knowing we’re doing something for the community,” said Sun. “We know how difficult it is finding courts for pickleball. With more and more people enjoying the sport, a place like this is much-needed.”
Fastest-growing sport in U.S.
According to PickleHeads.com, more than 36 million people in the U.S. played pickleball in 2024 — a 223.5% increase since 2021
With just over 50,000 courts across the country (estimated by USApickleball.org in early-2024), the demand for playing surfaces has far outweighed the supply of facilities.
Canton currently is home to six outdoor pickleball courts at Freedom Park.
Targeting a March 2025 opening, Sun and Yin have collaborated with designers to create a space for 14 courts and a close-to-3,000-square-foot furnished area where players can rest and grab light snacks and non-alcoholic beverages.
“The courts will have a layer of padding that separates the surface from the concrete floor, which is good for the players’ knees,” said Yin. “We’ve done a lot of research to assure that these courts are state-of-the-art. They will meet or exceed professional standards.”
Members and drop-ins welcome
The Pick US Pickleball Club will offer memberships, its founders confirmed; however, drop-in players will also be encouraged to visit the facility once it opens later this year.
“Members will receive special benefits and discounts, for instance, in the pro shop,” Sun revealed. “We will offer leagues, lessons and sell equipment. The exact plans will come into focus more as we get closer to the grand opening.”
Both Sun and Yin live in Troy, but they work in the engineering field close to the Canton facility where they are launching their pickleball venture.
A staff of licensed instructors will be hired, they added.
Sun and Yin delivered some light social-media promotion of their facility.
“We received a lot of positive feedback on all the social-media forums we used,” Yin said. “It re-affirmed our belief that something like this was needed.”
Love at first sight
The founders said they knew the vacant warehouse located at 8462 Ronda Drive was perfect for their venture the minute they walked into it for the first time.
“One thing that really caught our eye was that there are no columns in this building; it’s wide open, which allows for more courts,” Sun said.
“We love the site, too, because Canton has a large population and it will be a short drive for people coming in from other communities like Plymouth, Northville and Livonia. It’s a perfect spot for what we’re doing.”
Sun said the industrial park located just south of Joy Road (and east of Lilley Road) includes several recreation-based businesses, including a baseball training center and a dance studio.
SocialHouseNews.com will provide updates on the grand opening of the facility as details become available.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
