Surrey First Councillor Linda Annis is raising serious concerns about Mayor Brenda Locke’s proposed 10,000-seat arena project, saying it could cost over $600 million and currently lacks a clear plan or an “anchor tenant.”
“I don’t understand who besides Brenda Locke is asking for this arena,” said Annis. “We’re already moving forward with a fantastic new multi-use community centre in Newton that will cost $300 million, so it’s not unreasonable to assume a 10,000-seat arena would cost twice that. The truth is, our city doesn’t need this kind of wasteful project—we need more parks, lakes, and sports fields.”
Annis pointed out that many children in Surrey are still stuck on waitlists for recreational programs like swimming and skating, and that nearly every sport is in urgent need of more facilities to meet the demands of the city’s growing population.
Calling the arena a “vanity project,” Annis said, “The mayor’s desire to keep up with other cities is neither financially viable nor publicly necessary for Surrey.” She is instead calling for a 20-year recreation and sports facilities plan and emphasized that services for children under 18 in Surrey should be free.
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