Raise Athletics

Negative experience: Working with Moe, the director, was very challenging. Our community wanted to collaborate with Raise Athletics since we’re located next to the facility, but there was no interest in partnership or community engagement from their side. It was disappointing given the potential for a positive relationship.

Fantastic experience: Very big facility with lots of parking and great rates. Have been here a few times already and it's my favourite pickle ball court after playing at a few others. Friendly staff and has tons of courts so should always be able to book one. They are currently in the middle of constructing the change room, which will be very nice to have once completed. I was able to see the change room area, as part of the bathroom area is usable (so yes, they have indoor bathrooms). They also have a few paddle courts,, badminton, as well for volleyball. Yes, it's not perfect due to ongoing construction on parts of the facility, but it won't affect you while playing. When it is busy it can get very loud and hard to hear across the court from each other, but no said pickle ball is quiet haha. I can't wait to see the whole place when it's completed. This is my go to place for indoor pickle ball.

Negative experience: We went as a family to play pickleball and badminton on a weeknight in August. The facility is huge and not easy to access when driving in. It's very noisy and not easy to get around. We chatted with the only person working there and didn't really get a tour or information about where to go or much. It wasn't cheap to play for an hour and rentals are additional. It's still under construction and the sound does really carry across. No bathrooms on-site (just ones in a trailer). Not much room to be a spectator only a couple of chairs on the side. I'm sure the facility will be different once the construction is done, will come back to check it out.

Positive experience: Nice facility overall but the lighting for pickleball is terrible. Hard to see the ball and it feels trippy, like a weird illusion. Worse when the sun is shining from outside thru the windows reflecting off the cars

Fantastic experience: Good place for sports. Renovations should be completed by December, opening up at least a dozen more courts

Fantastic experience: It is a one if a kind place with so much to offer. Its amazing

Negative experience: Went in today for drop-in basketball. Girl at the front said and I quote: 1. They don’t do drop ins. (it says on their website they do, see attached picture) 2. They just cleaned the floors so if we go in she’ll have to clean them again. Don’t waste your time here. Date of writing: 8.16.25 / 21:35

Negative experience: Website says Drop-ins for basketball, but someone at the front desk said they don’t do that and they didn’t want to clean the courts after 2 hours before close…

Negative experience: Only one washroom, totally insufficient and causes long line up.

Positive experience: Really loud, bathrooms are just porta-potties - nice ones but still. The window cover to keep the sun out was falling off and we were blinded while playing. It was quite expensive for having the facilities be a work in progress.

Positive experience: For a venue of this size with literally hundreds of athletes in and out and not to have change rooms and bathrooms indoors is insane. Outhouses and trailer wash cars for a full time sports complex is insane.

Fantastic experience: Great pickleball arena. 20 courts. Lots of space.

Fantastic experience: Great place for pickle bar

Positive experience: Good venue, lots of courts

Negative experience: Terrible facility. Why they’re even hosting basketball games is beyond me. They’re no where near completed construction. They have porta potties for bathrooms, not even a make shift change room for the athletes. Any other facility allows the athletes to use the gyms not in use, here you’re not allowed. They have workers to stop you from using any unused court. They stop you from have any type of drink in the stand as a parent. Where they make you stand to watch your child if you do have a drink the curtain is so blacked out you can hardly see through them. AWFUL AWFUL facility.

Fantastic experience: 22 indoor courts..amazing facility..great package deals to get the costs down per hour

Negative experience: Brand new building and you have to go outside to go the bathroom to the portapotties. Very poor setup for the teams and players. Extension cords for power

Negative experience: I was kickout for having my stroller inside. And the owner aggressive argued with us saying that our child was in the way of other people.

Positive experience: Needs bathrooms and change rooms. Facilities are nice

Positive experience: I can only speak to the pickleball/padel portion of Raise as it's the only section I utilized. Lots of courts, the flooring they have installed for pickleball is A+. I'm not sure about the lighting, it seemed a little dark throughout the facility and then the sunlight coming through the windows (particularly on Court 4) was distracting. They have temporary washrooms behind all of the courts in an ATCO Trailer which is not ideal, but I understand the facility is still under construction. What I did not enjoy was playing on Court 4. I didn't realize when I booked it that we would be right where the main entrance to the Pickleball/Padel facility was. They didn't have a fence to separate the people walking to the front desk and where we were playing on the court. It was very distracting especially when people would just stand at the door and talk. It just felt like they were trying to cram in as many courts as they could without taking into consideration the flow of the facility. Overall not bad at all, a very beautiful facility, just needs to finish construction and maybe add a fence to Court 4 :)

Fantastic experience: Multiple courts for games

Fantastic experience: Not fully finished but good facility non the less, yes there’s no running water but there’s water stations and lots of bathrooms outdoors. I saw someone complaining about losing their shoes, all basketball facilities ask you to take off your footwear, just bring a bag for your shoes if you’re worried about theft. We had 3 of our 4 games here this weekend and while there wasn’t a great amount of seating we all easily found spots. Don’t love that some pouty woman is leaving 1 star reviews cause her shoes went missing, not the facilities fault. Anyways look forward to watching my kiddos playing here once everything is complete, I’m sure it’ll be a great facility.

Fantastic experience: I’ve had such a great experience at Raise Athletics! The pickleball facility is top-notch—clean, well-maintained, and thoughtfully designed to create a welcoming space for all skill levels. Whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned player, the courts offer the perfect environment to play, learn, and have fun. What truly sets Raise apart is the incredible staff. Everyone is so friendly, professional, and genuinely passionate about creating a positive community atmosphere. They’re always ready to help with anything you need—from court bookings to equipment and beyond. You can tell they really care about the people who walk through the doors. Raise Athletics has quickly become one of my favorite places to be. Highly recommend to anyone looking to play pickleball or just be part of a great space with even greater people!

Positive experience: This place has lots of potential. It has construction noise as it is still under construction, diesel exhaust frequently, the restrooms are porta poties, and no sound deadening. Courts are great with excellent surfaces and with a good fenced-in playing area. The pickleball nets are not fixed in place.

Negative experience: No water fountains, no bathrooms inside, dusty courts, not enough space for spectators, unfinished building, not enough parking and no sign telling you how to get in. It’s a total disaster. They tell you to leave your shoes out front but when they get stolen they tell you to deal with it. On court 1 and 2 there is a drop on the edge of the court so if your running for a ball and land there unexpectedly there is a good chance of injury. Such a pain to navigate through and a mess everywhere. I expected a lot more out of a new facility.

Negative experience: Went here for a tournament and my wife's shoes were stolen and the staff basically told her too bad, made no effort to rectify the situation and were rude about the whole situation

Negative experience: No indoor plumbing. Had to take our shoes off and walk through facility which is gross on so many levels . My friend had her shoes stolen and was treated like a piece of shit for complaining. Walked to her vehicle barefoot. 15 dollars to watch one game of basketball with no where to sit. Had to stand right on the edge of the court. If facility is not ready, don't open it. Will not attend again

Negative experience: Don’t remove your shoes like asked. Someone took mine and when speaking to the owner about compensation or what can be done he said it’s at your own risk which clearly isn’t stated. Had to walk shoesless to my car parked in another parking lot and through water because of their lack of parking. Additional notes. Not enough spectator seating, no indoor washrooms or drink fountains. Not sure why you would host a tournament when still under construction. Poor management, poor ownership, poor facility layout.

Negative experience: This place SUCKS. Maybe complete the building before hosting tournaments. Someone is gonna shred an ACL on all the drywall dust all over the courts. No indoor bathrooms. Poor accessibility for those with mobility challenges. Absolutely nowhere for spectators to be.

Fantastic experience: My son absolutely loves going here! Nice to have some indoor athletic spaces.

Positive experience: Soccer fields are small, but good for small group training on turf. Nice volleyball courts

Positive experience: Great facility. I really enjoy playing here. Courts are in great condition

Fantastic experience: If you haven’t checked out Raise Athletics before you NEED TO! This place is incredible with something to offer to everyone. The people working behind the scenes are also the most sincere and caring people I have met. They deserve all the success with this amazing new business!

Positive experience: Work in progress but bigger doesn't mean better (...yet). I booked for pickleball recently and on arrival the signage for the specific entrance is not clear at all and some hand written... drove around twice to figure it out. At payment there popped up some form of processing fee which really is makes them only venue I know that does this, which is off putting. The fences I feel are a little too low so could be a recipe for disruption on busy days. The lighting is also a little challanging and if you book the wrong court on a sunny day the sun's contrast indoors will blind you on courts nearest the windows. All in all, a long way to go to make it as good as some competitors but a good start to an ambitious mammoth facility. Would love to visit again in 6 months to check the progress

Negative experience: I had my shoes stolen at Raise Athletics, and management did nothing to rectify the situation. There were no signs stating shoes were left at your own risk, and I later found out there are no security cameras in the area. Staff just shrugged it off, saying it can happen. Beware and take your shoes to the courts with you!

Negative experience: So you have a ULINE sized warehouse full of sport courts and you don’t offer drop in? That is ridiculous. There’s 7 months out of the year that it is impossible to play outside and there is a single other option in our city (servus place) which has 2 hoops for the 20+ people to play on. There is a huge market for drop in sports in this city and it is unfortunate that this business does not recognize that.

Negative experience: Not sure how this place can be open without proper washroom facilities. Indoor porta potty, place stinks like sewage and yet they were still charging full price. Very disappointed. Lots of potential, but until they get things figured out, skip it.

Positive experience: We attended Raise Athletics for our son’s basketball tournament, and while the facility is large and has the potential to be a great venue, there were several major concerns. First, the facility does not have indoor plumbing, meaning attendees had to use porta potties outside. This is completely unacceptable, especially for individuals with disabilities who require proper restroom facilities. The no-shoes policy was inconsistently enforced. Only one side was monitored, while courts 2 and 4 had people tracking in sand, creating a serious injury risk for players. The common area was a disaster, with children spilling drinks and other messes left unattended. There were no staff members around to clean, making the space unkempt and unsanitary. The concession stand was overpriced, selling items sourced from the Costco Business Center at a significant markup. It felt like a blatant attempt to take advantage of families and youth attending the event. Parking was another issue. While there is a large back lot, there was no parking control, leading to cars blocking critical areas. Additionally, emergency vehicle access points were available but partially obstructed, and the ramps in those areas need to be leveled for better accessibility. There were also no designated areas for spectators to watch games, forcing people to stand on the court, block pathways, and create safety hazards. To make matters worse, half the building is still under construction, leaving unsecured areas where children could easily wander off and get injured. These areas were not monitored by staff, which is a serious safety concern. Lastly, the air circulation was poor. With the number of people inside, the space became stuffy, and turning on the ceiling fans would have helped significantly. Overall, while the facility has potential, it lacks proper management, safety measures, and basic amenities. Until these issues are addressed, it’s not an ideal venue for tournaments or large gatherings.

Negative experience: I am not sure how the City of St. Albert allows this place to receive occupancy and continue to open. A basketball tournament was being held at this facility with 24 teams. There was no signage in the parking lot to direct patrons. The basketball entrance was not accessible by individuals with wheelchairs or walkers. The bay where the entrance located was still under construction and there was no emergency lighting from the door to where the basketball tournament was held. People had to walk in the dark. One could only see if another person held the door open. The worst part was no indoor bathrooms. Please refrain from hosting tournaments until these issues have been rectified.

Positive experience: Pretty massive facility with tons of room. Still in the works so they don't have all the amenities yet, but the volleyball courts here are awesome.

Fantastic experience: Love this facility!! Great pickleball courts and easy to book

Fantastic experience: From the first time playing to date I have been treated like family at Raise from all the staff and owners. As any new facility they have growing pains. With every step towards complete completion i see a world class facility in own our back yard. Playing at Raise will allow me to play Pickleball well into my 70’s due to the quality of the court surface. I would highly recommend Raise Athletics with all of your sporting activities.

Positive experience: Played here, a work in progress will look forward to seeing end results. A little dark on some courts

Fantastic experience: For decades the good people of St Albert have petitioned, voted, attended council meetings and screamed for more sporting facilities. Now we have a world class facility in our own backyard that didn’t use one cent of tax payer money. I’m going to take a wild guess that there is approximately 20 million dollars into this facility. Is it perfect, no. However it is ONLY 3 months old. Anyone who has worked with contractors, tried to pull permits, or suffered bureaucracy trying to get projects completed can imagine what’s involved trying to get a project of this magnitude built. The management team has proven beyond a doubt they are community minded and extremely responsive to community/ customer concerns. Has anyone noticed how many school buses sit out front during the week? The management team goes out of their way to make the facility available to our kids at a reasonable cost. The joyful screams from the kids suggests they are succeeding. I truly believe we should exercise a little patience and give the facility a chance to work through the growing pains. Given the overwhelming positive reviews here I am obviously not alone. We will be the envy of most of North America with this facility. Regards, David Fry

Negative experience: This place is a mess. I hate to leave bad reviews, but this place was unfinished, unsanitary and freezing inside. Washrooms were actually outside outhouses, in -30 weather. The whole building is still under construction, which isn’t the end of the world, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this place hasn’t passed code or an inspection to be up and running at this point. The courts had crazy amounts of mouse poop all along the edges and corners where we sat to watch our kids at their volleyball tournament. There were even some rude teens on the teams that train out of this gym that made immature instagram posts about their wins and degrading the losses of the other teams after the tournament. Not great sportsmanship.

Fantastic experience: Great place for pickleball! Lots of courts available. Only downside is that there aren't many seating areas (for now anyways). Would highly recommend this place!

Fantastic experience: My Daughter practices soccer here, so I’m jere every week. Great place…Huge facility with multiple sports disciplines and always busy. Only negative is the lack of proper bathroom amenities.

Negative experience: This will probably be a decent facility one day. It looks like it's going to be huge. But right now it's disaster. Most of it still in a construction. We're at a tournament and there's probably a thousand people in this building, and there's no indoor plumbing. I love to go outside into the cold to use a porta potty. And it is definitely not built for spectators. We're literally sitting on the court.

Fantastic experience: The facility is so well developed, especially considering the fact that they are in the early stages of opening. Only thing is that bathrooms are currently outside, but the facility is working on bringing them back in and the staff are always so willing to help and listen to any concerns. We appreciate every visit, with such a great community!

Fantastic experience: We visited Raise for the recent tournament and everything was great! It was all ran very smoothly with a wonderful environment as staff were very helpful and kind. We look forward to many visits in the future!

Positive experience: It’s a wonderful facility. It’s great that it’s close to home But it’s unfortunate that the bathrooms are outside especially in -30 weather. If you don’t have the facilities to house tournaments, then don’t have tournaments To have so many people there and not give them access to a warm washroom in this weather is ridiculous Hopefully the facility can get these amenities in sooner rather than later otherwise we would probably avoid going

Positive experience: It’s a nice place with a massive amount of pickleball courts. Only 4 badminton courts tho. When we arrived for our 7pm badminton reservation there weren’t any badminton nets set up. The manager came by and moved us from court 1 to court 3 and switched the net, which took about 15 min. He seemed super nice and he told us we could make up the time and stay till 8:15, we appreciated a bunch. 8pm rolls around and the front desk person tells us we have to get off the court cause another couple has a reservation. We told her what the manager told us and she said “yeah, but he didn’t know there was another reservation on this court at 8” (which wasn’t even the court we were supposed to be on, since the manager moved us.) There were 3 other empty badminton courts and they had 45min between when we started to set up another net. There was another employee that had been cleaning empty courts for the whole time we were there that probably could have switched the net on another empty court. And only maybe 1/4 or 1/3 of the many, many pickleball courts were in use. I was pretty unimpressed that they didn’t pay attention to their bookings to know when they need a badminton net set up. Especially when they have 20+ pickleball courts and only have 4 badminton. The location is convenient for us and the price is good, so we’ll probably go back for pickleball. We’d go back for badminton if there was a phone number we could call in advance and make sure there was actually a badminton net set up, but they don’t seem to have a number listed. I know they only opened about 2 months ago, so hopefully they can get their staff to pay more attention to the incoming bookings. Frustrating to pay for an hour and then only get 45 min because of their staff’s error.

Fantastic experience: Wow, Raise Athletics is really raising the bar for pickleball players! Their social media is consistently updated and engaging, and not to mention the customer service is fantastic. I’m always excited for all their new events. All the staff at Raise are super friendly, welcoming, and truly dedicated to helping with any needs. I can't recommend it enough, especially if you're into pickleball, the courts are fantastic!

Fantastic experience: Beautiful facility in our own back yard and wonderful management/ownership staff. Love playing pickleball here and staff is very receptive to feedback.

Fantastic experience: What an absolutely fabulous facility that is our backyard. Owners are amazing and very willing to receive feedback. Love it!!!

Fantastic experience: Great place. Owner very friendly.

Fantastic experience: Brand new facility and the place just keeps getting better and better!

Fantastic experience: A clean spacious and inviting space.