Alexandra’s ice rink has become a multi-use facility, with a new pickleball group having secured an agreement to use the facility over summer.

Former Aucklander Carolyn Judge moved to Alexandra about six months ago, and started a pickleball group - she now has 80 people interested.

In September the group started using the Dunstan High School gymnasium, but IceInline Alexandra found out they needed somewhere more permanent, and offered them the space.

IceInline chairman Murray Miller said they had been looking for other sports/clubs to use the ice rink facility in its off season, and pickleball was the perfect fit.

Alexandra Pickleball player Carolyn Judge (right) with IceInline chairman Murray Miller. Photo. The Central App.

“Platonk used to use our carpark for a while until they got their own facility, but we really needed to find a summer user.”

Ice hockey players also use the rink over summer, swapping out their skates for rollerblades, to keep training, but with all of their heavy gear on, “it just gets too hot,” Murray said.

“We’ve been encouraging other users to use our facility, so this is perfect.”

The Clyde Tennis Club provided the bats and balls and Sport Otago has made up two courts at the rink on the concrete surface, for games to be played on Sunday afternoons.

Carolyn said she just loved the social aspect of the game, which attracted all sorts of players of different levels and ages.

“It’s a typical mix on a pickleball day,” she said.

Pickleball started in the USA back in 1965, and has many similarities to tennis, badminton and table tennis, using short-handled paddles and a hollow plastic ball.

Players keep talking about hitting the ball in the ‘kitchen’ - there is new jargon with this game that needs to be explained.

The ‘kitchen’ is in fact an area marked out on the front of the court where players are not allowed to volley or smash the ball over the net - it has to bounce first.

So why is it a ‘pickle’ - ball anyway? Apparently, the name came from one of the original founders’ wives who thought the mixing of different elements and equipment reminded her of a pickle boat -

made up of rowers from different crews who race together for fun.

So don’t get yourself in a pickle - just head on down to the Alexandra ice rink on Sundays at 4pm and pick up a bat.