Fans follow BC Lions to Surrey park for practices, moved due to turf issues
Published 8:00 pm Friday, August 28, 2026
Whether in Whalley or Guildford, diehard BC Lions fans Jenny Brittain and Kathie Currie follow their team on the practice field.
They are Team Granny #1 and #2, respectively, according to nameplates on orange jerseys worn at Hjorth Road Park on Friday (Aug. 28) during a final practice before the Lions’ trip to Ottawa for a Sunday game.
The football-loving grannies brought four dozen Tim Hortons muffins for players to eat Friday. Other days, Brittain bakes and brings cookies or loaves, something sweet for Lions to eat.
“Oh, they’re all a long ways from home and need a little bit of grandma’s touch, or whatever you want to call it,” said Brittain, co-founder of the Lion Backers fan club 32 years ago with husband Raymond, both seated on lawn chairs.
“They just love to see us. They come off like elephants to get their treats on the table we set up. We come once a week to practice. We go wherever they go.”
Poor turf quality at the team’s Whalley facility moved practices to the synthetic field in Guildford for the rest of this CFL season, maybe longer.
“The turf field at Tom Binnie Park is not up to standard,” explained Neil McEvoy, Lions’ vice-president of football operations. “The grass there is OK, and we use it a little bit, but the players like the speed on the turf. They like to practice on what they play on, so if we’re playing on grass, then we’ll practice on grass. Today we’re here.”
The Lions have practiced at Hjorth Road on wet days in the past, but this season it’s been more frequent.
“That turf field (at Tom Binnie) is being redone, and once it’s done we’ll move our practices back there,” McEvoy added. “We don’t have a timeline for that but (the turf) has been ordered, from what I understand. After it gets here they’ll need some good weather to install it. We’re hoping that’s done by training camp next year, April or May.”
Turf work at Tom Binnie is reportedly green-lit by Surrey recreation officials, now that big plans for a 10,000-seat arena have shifted south to the corner of 104 Avenue and King George Boulevard, not on land occupied by the Lions training facility, as originally envisioned.
For the Lions, there are challenges transporting players and gear to Hjorth Road a few times a week.
“It’s a pain,” McEvoy admitted, “but it’s something we’re willing to do so we can have a good field for practice.”
Season ticket-holders Teresa and Garry Wong frequently travel from Vernon to watch practices in Surrey and then see Lions home games at BC Place Stadium.
“We’re always here for the games so we might as well come a day earlier to take in practice,” Garry said. “This weekend is a bit different because they’re on the road, so we’re here visiting family.”
Currie (Granny #2) says the fan club makes money selling merchandise at games.
“That money helps pay for muffins or whatever we bring, and we also donate to Union Gospel Mission and Surrey Food Bank,” noted the Lion Backers president.
Fans can join 840 others on the club’s Facebook page.
“They’re gonna keep going on a hot streak, not giving up,” Brittain said of the Lions.
“They’re B.C.’s team, the one that has brought this province more championships than any other,” Currie added. “We want to keep loyal to them. We’re headed to Calgary in November (for the Grey Cup). We’re going to be there in the stands cheering them on in the cold.”