Life’s a beach (soon) as sand arrives at London’s new indoor volleyball venue

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Leagues are already filling up at London’s soon-to-open indoor beach volleyball facility, a six-court space that’s moving sand in ahead of its January opening date.  

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The Beach Hangar, a 2,100-square-metre beach volleyball complex on the northwest corner of Crumlin Sideroad and Robin’s Hill Road, opened league registration Nov. 13 and started laying down sand in preparation for its planned opening at the end of January. 

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“We’re already 65 per cent full for our first session. The reception has been amazing, people are very excited,” co-founder Dave Ward said. “I think people want to come out and be part of the community. Our Thursday night league is already full.”

League play at the purpose-built facility will begin in the final week of January, Ward said, with a charity tournament the weekend before. The Beach Hangar is running two shorter winter sessions to start so people who are curious can try the sport without having to make a four-month commitment, he said. 

The facility has adult beach volleyball leagues running Sunday through Thursday. It has drop-in time and slots for private bookings on Fridays, Ward said, and is holding house-league play for kids 10-15 years old on Saturday and Sunday mornings. 

The Beach Hanger will also be using its space for other sports, including an ultimate frisbee league on Sunday evenings, Ward said. Sand soccer, sand pickleball and parent and tot sandbox sessions are also possibilities in the future. 

“We’re trying to leave sections of the schedule open where we can get people in to do different stuff,” he said.  

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Crews broke ground on the steel-frame facility in early June and raised exterior walls in August. Construction crews are now working on the interior of the facility, including building out the mezzanine, washrooms, reception and storage space, Ward said.  

The sand for the courts was set to arrive Tuesday, he said. Getting the truckloads of sand in place, which will take several days, is a “huge milestone,” Ward said.  

The Beach Hangar is hoping to fill a gap in the city’s recreation scene after London lost its longtime indoor beach volleyball destination in 2023 when Spikes Volleyball closed after 26 years in business.  

The facility, located on land leased from the London International Airport, is the latest push by airport officials to build a neighbourhood, or aerotropolis, around the regional travel hub.  

In addition to its focus on attracting aviation-related businesses, officials have been eyeing other partnerships and initiatives in recent years, launching a free outdoor beach volleyball court in the summer, outdoor rink in the winter and pickleball courts on airport-owned lands.  

jbieman@postmedia.com
@JenatLFPress

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