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First look at ‘Surrey’s new destination sports facility,’ at Bear Creek Park

At Newton Athletic Park, a new rubberized walking track is planned
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Rendering of the proposed grandstand of Bear Creek Athletics Centre in Surrey. (submitted image: City of Surrey)

The proposed design of “Surrey’s new destination sports facility” has been revealed.

Bear Creek Athletics Centre will feature an improved track, synthetic turf field and grandstand seating for 2,200 spectators.

Renderings of the grandstand design are included in a city hall-issued news release touting a survey and open house at the site Wednesday, Aug. 18, from 4 to 7 p.m., as part of the final phase of public consultation. “Feedback gathered will be used to guide the detailed design for the project,” the advisory states.

The new grandstand will include team changerooms, officials’ rooms, equipment storage space, ticketing office, public washrooms and concession facilities.

The planned stadium will help position Surrey as a regional destination for high-level soccer and football games in addition to a full range of track and field sports, according to Neal Aven, Surrey’s manager of parks. “It will also provide the local community access to state-of-the-art sporting amenities and provide the City with a potential new venue to host cultural events.”

Construction is scheduled to start this winter, with the anticipated opening in spring 2023.

With a price tag of around $21 million, the project includes upgrading the track and sports field to “international standards” with a rubberized surface, and replacing the 500-seat wooden bleachers with a modern grandstand similar to the one at Langley’s McLeod Stadium.

The Bear Creek Park project has been in the works since early 2019, when Mayor Doug McCallum revealed plans to build an “international recognized sanctioned stadium” there.

• RELATED STORY, from 2019: Sports ‘hub’ pitched at Surrey park designed to draw big track meets and games.

The survey and more project details are posted to surrey.ca/athleticscentre.

Meantime, at Newton Athletic Park, the City of Surrey has announced plans to build a new rubberized walking track, in the south area of the park, around the perimeter of the sports fields. The $1-million track will be 600 metres long and 3.5 metres wide, and is due open for public use by year’s end.

“The final rubberized top-coat will be completed in spring 2022,” says a news release from city hall. “The project complements other enhancement work planned for 2021 at the Newton Athletic Park site, including a new artificial turf field, new lighting and drainage and irrigation improvements. In addition, a new washroom/changeroom building is planned for construction at Newton Athletic Park in 2022.”

Elsewhere, the grand opening of North Delta Secondary School’s new track & field facility is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 14, with a media event at 11 a.m.



tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com

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Tom Zillich

About the Author: Tom Zillich

I cover entertainment, sports and news stories for the Surrey Now-Leader, where I've worked for more than half of my 30-plus years in the newspaper business.
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