Pickleball pleases Wellness Institute members

The Maples

The Wellness Institute at Seven Oaks Hospital is a world-class medical fitness centre – a fitness and wellness hub that is a beehive of activities serving a large and growing membership of over 5,500.

“The Wellness,” as it is commonly called, assists members with whole-body wellness, including fitness activities, illness prevention, medical rehabilitation and much more.

Established in 1995, the huge (80,000-square-foot) complex is located at 1075 Leila Ave. and is a place of pride in Northwest Winnipeg, boasting over 180 pieces of exercise equipment, a state-of-the-art walking/running track and several rooms for classes on everything from strength training to yoga, nutrition and mental health sessions, and diabetes prevention to cardiac rehabilitation programs for recent cardiac patients.

The Wellness is popular with all age groups. A unique feature of the centre is the sport components. Basketball, badminton, pickleball and volleyball are all popular activities on its court level, and pickleball has become the fastest growing sport at the Wellness. In the past four years, pickleball subscribers have grown by over 300 per cent. To prevent disputes over precious court-space and time, Wellness administrators now schedule blocks of time for various sports. Pickleball players now have playing times each weekday morning and three spots a week in the evenings.

“The changes made a huge difference in attendance and satisfaction. Sports players are very pleased and the membership is growing,” said Preet Chawla, an avid pickleball player and lead volunteer.

The second annual Seven Oaks Hospital Pickleball Classic tournament is scheduled for April 17 and 18 at the Wellness. Visit wellnessinstitute.ca for more information.

The Wellness Institute’s current opening hours are 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends.