MONCTON – Moncton will soon be hosting professional international squash competitions.
Squash Moncton recently won the bid to become a Squash Canada national training facility.
“With the extra courts we can put on national events attract larger more high profile athletes here,” said President of Squash N.B. David Hotham.
He says three new state-of-the-art Pan American Games legacy courts are being installed this week, that will make the facility the largest of its kind in Atlantic Canada.
“This is actually going to be a training facility for the Atlantic provinces.”
The city of Moncton will loan Squash Moncton up to $150 million to renovate the existing facility and install the courts.
That couldn’t make Moncton coach Jan Prieditis any happier. He moved to Moncton from New Zealand four years ago, hired by Squash Moncton to help grow the sport.
“This is a national training centre so it’s going to draw in some of the top players in Canada and having that exposure for the kids and seeing this level of play is quite inspirational,” he said.
He says Moncton already has several young players in training for the next Canada Games and having the opportunity to play in a city that will soon host international players is a huge motivator.
“With these new courts hopefully we will have more people come and enjoy the sport,” said player Eric Melanson.
“There will be a lot more court time available and as the membership gets bigger then I will have more time to play,” said player Julia Cook.
The new courts should up ready for play on January 1.
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