Surrey United wants to build a new training facility at Cloverdale Athletic Park.
The soccer club is proposing a new 38,000 sq. ft. indoor turf training facility be built directly east of CAP #3 (where the current gravel field is now). They’re also proposing a new multi-sport, lit, turf-field be built south of the structure. As part of the new upgrade a new parking lot and intersection would also be put in along 64th Avenue (see image).
Jeff Clarke, sporting director for Surrey United, and other members of the club made their proposal to Surrey City Council April 3. Clarke said he thought the meeting went well.
“They were very engaged and receptive to the idea,” said Clarke. “We left there very confident. We think we’re in a good position.”
Clarke said while no decision was made, the soccer club has all their ducks in a row and with the new $89 million community fund, given to the city by the province last month, there is money available.
“We’re targeting that fund and it wouldn’t have any impact on a typical 5-year plan.”
Clarke estimates the project will cost about $15 million with $7.5 million going towards the building and the other $7.5 million going towards the new parking lot, fields, and a new intersection.
“We’re just asking the city to (put in) the parking lot and the turf fields as per their regular policy, ” explained Clarke. “The building will be solely on Surrey United’s operation and expense.”
Mike Starchuk, MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale, said the city doesn’t really have a reason to say “no” as the community fund was designed just for thing like this. He said the new facility is greatly needed and will benefit kids in many different sports in the Coverdale, Clayton, and East Surrey area.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Starchuk. “I don’t know where the city is on it at this point, but I can’t think of a better time—especially with the money from the community fund that’s there—for the city to get out the rubber stamp and get this project moving.”
Starchuk said money invested on sports facilities benefits both youth and adults, but often has a greater long-term benefit on youth.
“In the bigger scheme of things, the more money we invest in our youth is an investment in the future,” he explained. “When you get kids into a culture of sport and recreation, you create people that want to give back to society. There are other health ramifications too. The more time you spend doing something athletic, the better it is for you and the less of the strain it can be later on the health-care system.”
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Clarke added the new playing areas will be multi-sport fields. They’ll be used for soccer and field lacrosse during winter and baseball and softball during the spring and summer, much like new turf fields are being used in neighbouring communities like Maple Ridge and Delta.
“The fields offer a multi-sport benefit, a multi-user benefit,” he said. “This isn’t just about soccer, but it’s about all the other sports than can use the fields too.”
Ali Wilkinson, president of Surrey United, said the fact that the new pitch will be a multi-sport turf field is of paramount importance.
“The grass fields, where the turf would be installed, are unused due to rain and poor conditions six to eight months a year and the turf fields will make that footprint within the park far more usable, 12 months of the year,” she said. “With lighting, longer times through the week as well, (Surrey United) feels all user groups are being underserved with these current limitations.”
Clarke said the estimated completion time for the new facility and fields is about 1-4 years, but he cautioned that depends on a large number of factors.
He said when and if the city greenlights the project, Surrey United will have a special general meeting to outline the way forward for all stakeholders.
He added with the amount of people moving to Surrey, and with the amount of new housing being built in East Surrey, the time to act is now.
“We’re behind the eightball,” said Clark. “If we stay stagnant while this community growth is happening, we’re going to have no place for our kids to play.”
Clark said Cloverdale has received less new field installations than the other four town centres over the past 17 years.
“Youth sports are growing rapidly,” he added. “We need places for all these kids to play.”
For more about Surrey United Soccer Club, visit surreyunitedsoccer.com.
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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