Cyril Greenwell enters Surrey Sports Hall of Fame
Published 6:15 am Saturday, June 6, 2026
Third in a series of 10 profiles of 2026 Surrey Sports Hall of Fame inductees, celebrated as the hall’s inaugural class during a June 2 ceremony at Surrey City Hall.
Cyril Greenwell, Builder
Cyril “Cy” Greenwell was a prominent athlete and community organizer in Cloverdale during the 1930s. Born in Nanaimo, he later attended King George High School in Vancouver and served overseas in World War I.
In the mid-1920s, Cy moved to Cloverdale and quickly became involved with the Cloverdale Athletic Association. By 1930, he was well known for both his athletic ability and leadership in local sport. He served in roles such as secretary of the Cloverdale Basketball Club, president of the Delta Basketball League, and manager of local baseball and soccer teams, as well as director of the Cloverdale Soccer and Lacrosse Club. He was also a strong athlete, often leading in basketball scoring and excelling as a top baseball pitcher.
His dedication helped sustain and grow sports leagues across Surrey, the Lower Mainland, and Washington State during the Great Depression, when many teams struggled financially. He supported community events at the Cloverdale Athletic Hall, including refereeing boxing matches and organizing fundraisers. In 1937, he secured funding to build Cloverdale’s first lacrosse box, supporting the sport’s growth.
In 1935, Cy married Phyllis Bose and moved to Surrey Centre, remaining active in the community well into the 1940s.
Source: Surrey Sports Hall of Fame