A sports facility and lakeside park have opened within an over-50s lifestyle community, to complete the development on the Sunshine Coast.
Stockland officially opened the B by Halcyon sports pavilion and central park, with more than 300 homeowners joining the party and having a hit on the new tennis and pickleball courts at Buderim.
Stockland Halcyon Communities project director Andrew Astorquia said it was a major milestone for the area.
“(They) are the final facilities to be delivered for B by Halcyon, so this was a very exciting day for the whole community,” he said.
The sports pavilion includes a lounge with a fireplace, barbecue kitchen and pizza oven. It overlooks the Buderim rainforest and billabong.
The central park joins the final two lakes in B by Halcyon, with walking tracks, a manmade waterfall, lakeside pontoon, off-leash dog area and open-space amphitheatre.
Mr Astorquia said tennis and pickleball were popular sports among homeowners.
Pickleball is a hybrid of tennis, badminton and ping pong, and popular around the world.
“Not only does the sport encourage homeowners to get active, it’s also easy to learn, caters to a range of skill levels and is a fun way to connect with neighbours and friends,” he said.
Mr Astorquia said Halcyon communities were home to some of Australia’s first pickleball courts and it was great to watch the sport’s popularity grow within the communities.
“Some of the first purpose-built pickleball courts in Australia were constructed at Halcyon Glades in Caboolture in 2018 and now Halcyon Greens in Pimpama boasts one of the largest dedicated facilities in the country with eight courts,” he said.
“Homeowners at B by Halcyon can now discover why the game is enjoyed at other communities with the addition of these four pickleball courts and tennis court.”
According to the Pickleball Australia Association, the sport barely existed in Australia five years ago and now it’s growing 20 per cent a year.
“Pickleball can be a wonderful alternative for those who are new or who used to play tennis – it can allow you to work on your balance, agility, reflexes and hand-eye coordination,” Mr Astorquia said.
“It’s easy to see how the sport has taken off across the country.”
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B by Halcyon homeowner Lyn Lamble is part of the newly formed racquet club and said the recent opening of the sports pavilion was a lot of fun.
“It was a fabulous event and being able to play a few games of pickleball and tennis on the new courts with our neighbours was the icing on the cake,” she said.
“Before moving into B by Halcyon over three years ago, I had no idea of what pickleball was all about.
“I had played squash on a regular basis and a little bit of tennis over the years but was not prepared for the addictive nature of pickleball.”
Fellow homeowner Graeme Hall-Watson said the opening of the courts would enable a lot more homeowners to learn and participate in the game.
“I grew up playing tennis and squash,” he said.
“I had not played pickleball until I came to B by Halcyon and at my age it is easier on the body while providing great exercise.
“Certainly, playing racquet sports at an earlier age helps, but anyone can enjoy playing this game and have a lot of fun.
“There is no doubt that the opening of these facilities has provided the opportunity for many more homeowners to now get out and enjoy these sports and the sports pavilion adds a great social gathering place.”
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