Surrey United Soccer Club receives $250K provincial grant for new facility in Cloverdale Athletic Park
Published 9:30 am Saturday, March 21, 2026
A local soccer club has received a $250K grant from the Province.
Surrey United Soccer Club (SUSC) said the money will help cover the cost of making their new training facility accessible. The covered, multi-sport practice facility is currently being built in Cloverdale Athletic Park (CAP).
The money is part of the Community Gaming Grants program. The funding grant, along with other provincial grants, was announced at CAP March 20. Mayor Brenda Locke and other representatives from both the municipal and provincial governments were on hand for the announcement.
Ali Wilkinson, SUSC president, told the Cloverdale Reporter the money is going to help with some critical accessibility items so the building will be “open to all athletes” who want to use it.
“We have a lift going into that space,” she said. “We are also having ongoing conversations with para athletes and (para) organisations.”
She said the idea is to deliver an inclusive facility that can offer all athletes a “sport for life” space to play.
“That is what this funding is all about.”
Wilkinson added both the SUSC board and its members were very thankful for the grant. She said the funding is representative of the collaboration that’s gone on through the whole process, first with the City of Surrey and now with the Province.
“This project is about coming together for the benefit of the community.”
The project has been supported by Mayor Locke and the City of Surrey since its outset. The Parks and Rec. Department’s 10-year strategic plan recommended the department partner with community groups to “advance opportunities for new indoor facilities. In a corporate report in 2023, Laurie Cavan, dep’t GM, noted Surrey United’s plan for a covered facility fit the department’s own recommendations.
As part of that project, the city has leased the land to SUSC for 30 years, with Surrey United fundraising for the design, building, construction, and future operation of the building.
Mayor Locke said the money influx from the Province is very welcome. She said the city is fully behind the facility and will continue to help out. The city has donated costs associated with the land at CAP (about $10 million) and utilities for the building (about $500,000).
“It’s a big undertaking for a club,” she said. “It is very expensive. So, we’re really excited for them.”
The mayor said she’s spoken to both Wilkinson and Jeff Clarke (SUSC sporting director) a lot about the project and she’s eagerly awaiting its opening in the fall.
As for the facility itself, Wilkinson said the foundation is in and the steel is set to arrive over the next few days.
“There’s 15 trucks of steel coming before next Tuesday and it’ll start to be erected the week after,” she noted. “So, we’ll really start to see it changing pretty quick.”
Wilkinson noted the turf is set to go in in July and the finer details will be finished after that. They are hoping for a September or October open.
“It’s a community building,” she added. “We want as many sports in there, as many user groups in there, as we can hold.”
Wilkinson said interested user groups can visit the Cloverdale Sport Centre website for more details at cloverdalesportcentre.com.
SUSC broke ground at the park in September, 2025. The enclosed turf field will be a little smaller than a full-size soccer pitch. The building will have a mezzanine viewing area, washrooms, and storage rooms.
The 37,000 sq. ft. facility will allow for the main pitch to be separated by curtains to form smaller practice areas—thereby allowing for more groups to use the facility at the same time.