“Open for use.”
That’s the message from Surrey United Soccer Club (SUSC) about their new big, red barn in Cloverdale Athletic Park.
SUSC welcomed the city to the new state-of-the-art, indoor training facility Sept. 22 for a ceremonial ribbon cutting. Several dignitaries were on hand including then Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke and Vancouver Whitecaps legend Carl Valentine.
Called “Envision Financial Sport Centre,” the indoor facility opened to the general public Oct. 1 after about a one-month permitting delay.
So far, the training centre has opened to rave reviews. Members of SUSC say the demand has been overwhelming.
Jeff Clarke, club CEO and sporting director, said things have been “very exciting” so far.
“The delay in opening put a microscope on what we’re doing,” Clarke said. “But our ability to pivot and open same day is a huge testament to our commitment to the program here and the project.”
He noted feedback so far had been very positive and exceeded all club expectations.
“Members are loving it,” he said. “There’s definitely that ‘awe’ factor. The body language is very positive. As soon as (kids) step in, they’re sprinting into their practice. They’re hanging out with their friends at the end. Parents are happy when their kids are happy. And you see a lot of people leaving the facility happy.”
Clarke said rental space can cover the entire facility floor, or it can be divided into three separate training areas. He said at the lower ages, the facility can support 60-70 athletes and at the older ages about 40-45 athletes.
“So a lot of people at once,” he noted. “It’s meant for training opportunities and it provides a different experience and a different training curriculum—some small-sided technical development. So, when you get on the small field, it adds to the overall experience.”
Ali Wilkinson, SUSC president, said facility space is still available to rent out. She said they get three to four requests a day to rent the turf.
“They vary from, ‘I want every Wednesday till next year’ to ‘My buddies want to drop in and play extreme frisbee’. So, we’ve only got a few spots left for this season.”
She said right now they’re telling people who are interested in primetime spots, most of which are all fully booked, to check back after Christmas when times for 2027 will open up for booking.
“Between soccer, baseball, lacrosse, flag football, birthday parties, other types of soccer training and academies, the demand is crazy,” Wilkinson said.
“There’s a booking form on the site that can be filled in,” she added. “Info on the entire set up: how big the fields are—one, two, or three—what’s available to them, the cost, everything.”
Clarke plans to link up with some community groups in the interests of reaching out to a wider swathe of residents.
“We’re looking at hosting Friday lawn bowling, and things, and other corporate events during the daytime.”
Clarke noted weekdays during the day are still very much open at the moment. He said they even had a film crew in scouting the location for a possible commercial. The weekday daytime offers a different branch for their programming and operations.
“It’s supposed to be a multi-purpose facility, so it’s not just a soccer facility,” he added. “So we’re very much embracing that.”
Clarke said Surrey United is still figuring out how to meet to the demand and make the operations run smoothly. He said he still can’t believe they opened the training centre, adding it was an “understatement” to say it’s taken the whole community to help get SUSC to this point.
“Now it’s important to us that they get access, that they get enjoyment, that they get experience in here,” Clarke added. “So, we’re trying to make that happen as soon as we can.”
Wilkinson said the facility will be great for the city overall.
“The more kids we can get out and to try sports, or try a sport in a facility like this, at a younger age, the more likely it is to normalize their experience, and help them choose to continue on with sports as they get older.”
Anyone interested in booking the Cloverdale Sport Centre can visit envisionfinancialsportcentre.com. A link can also be found on the SUSC website surreyunitedsoccer.com.
The Envision Financial Sport Centre is located in Cloverdale Athletic Park at 16968 64th Avenue.
For more info, email info@envisionfinancialsportcentre.com.