Launched by Epic Padel, the complex - known as the Epic Padel EPICENTRE - at The Island in Cape Town will be home to four double courts, a single court, pro shop, café, and workspace with free wi-fi and change room facilities, for you and your family to enjoy.
Sweeping the world by storm, padel is a cross between tennis and squash, taking the best of both sports to create a fun, easy game.
Padel is played on an Astroturf court enclosed by glass walls that players can bounce the ball off. Using a bat instead of a racquet further helps make padel accessible to all ages and easy to pick up.
According to Epic Padel's Elian Wiener, the sport has taken over in countries such as Europe, where over 10 000 courts have popped up. With that being said, he believes that it’s time to encourage the sport in our country.
Apart from it being a fun way to keep fit, padel is good for your brain. In a ‘How psychology tests the brain’ report, padel was found to have a positive impact on the body and the brain, including concentration; personal and social development; improved body parts, for example, your spine; and many more.
So there’s plenty of reason to encourage this sport which can be played by the entire family, young and old.
How to book
Wiener said, “Padel players are able to book courts via the Playtomic app, while padel bats are available for rent at the venue. Bats, balls, and other padel merchandise from some of the world’s biggest padel brands, such as Adidas, Volt and Head, will also be sold at our fully stocked pro shop.
‘’We will also be offering coaching for all levels of players, as well as socials, tournaments, and leagues, the details of which will be communicated via our social media channels as well as on WhatsApp groups and newsletters,’’ he adds.
Paarden Eiland forms part of Inospace's industrial regeneration programme – an initiative unlocking the potential of traditional industrial zones.
By introducing modern, people-centric spaces and services, Inospace is helping regenerate traditional industrial areas into multi-functional business nodes without the need to demolish heritage buildings or displace residents.
The new set of courts marks the fourth centre opened by Epic Padel between Johannesburg and Cape Town in the last year. For Wiener, the decision to locate their latest centre in Paarden Eiland was a natural one.
"We had many requirements for the space. It needed to be centrally located and large enough to accommodate several indoor courts and enough area to create the social atmosphere of a club.
“Inospace could have far more easily leased it to an industrial or logistics tenant with simpler needs. But, they bought into our vision of what we are trying to create: a space that makes a positive impact in the community where people can get fit, have fun and build relationships," Wiener concluded.
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