The neighbourhood surrounding Kitsilano Beach hardly seems like destination, what with autumn in full swing, but Jeremy Baum, co-founder of the Kitsilano Ping Pong & Social Club, is trying to change that.
Baum is gregarious – the type person who’s genuinely pleased to see that I’ve dropped in. That’s the whole point of the Social Club, held Thursday nights at the Billy Bishop Legion. I couldn’t resist a game of Jenga with a couple of the club’s regulars. I cut out after I toppled the tower three times in a row.
“I like the intimacy of it all,” Baum explains. “I’m a Kits guy and wanted to support and connect the community any way I can.”
Baum’s brainchild was born out of a need for fun and affordable Ping Pong in Vancouver. For $10, players get 30 minutes at a table. Pay $15, and you get an hour.
“People will say, I haven’t played since college or, I remember my parents had a table in the basement years ago," offers Baum. “And if ping pong’s not your thing, we provide Jenga or playing cards for those just in for a drink.”
Memberships have steadily been on the decline for legions all across Vancouver, so choosing the Billy as a venue was a no brainer.
“It brings value to underappreciated venues like these, and re-ignites the connection that our generation doesn’t have, having not lived through war the way our ancestors did,” Baum says. “Many long-time residents of the neighbourhood don’t even know it’s here.”
Named for Canadian fighter pilot William Avery Bishop, it is one of the only legions deemed a wartime museum. Built in 1930, it’s full of artifacts from the First World War, including original-print military-themed paintings, memorabilia, and wall plaques showcasing military badges.
The club meets in the upstairs hall in a cozy, nostalgic atmosphere complete with linen tablecloths, ambient lighting, and cold beer behind the bar. Local businesses are big supporters – Sleemans Brewery is a sponsor and Corduroy, a local eatery a few blocks away, regularly delivers.
The crowd is varied, as are the skill levels, and Baum says he’s pretty sure he was witness to a successful first date last week.
“A ping pong table is the perfect amount of physical space between two strangers,” he says with a laugh.
For more information, visit kitspingpong.com
