FORMER Surrey mayor Doug McCallum on Friday slammed Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke’s proposal for a 12,000-seat stadium, labeling it as “short-sighted” and “out of touch” with the city’s potential. He added that Locke’s State of the City Address was nothing more than empty promises.
McCallum said he advocates for a more ambitious project that reflects Surrey’s stature as a burgeoning world-class city.
“Surrey deserves a facility that mirrors its global aspirations and dynamic growth, not a small-minded, out-of-touch, lacklustre plan that undermines our potential,” McCallum added. He mocked Locke’s vision, asserting, “Surrey is not just a suburb of Vancouver; it is the city of tomorrow, ready to host the world.”
Highlighting Surrey’s expected population growth — to surpass Vancouver by 2029 and reach over one million by 2042 — McCallum argued for infrastructure that can accommodate major international events.
“To prepare for our future, we must aim for a stadium with at least a 40,000-seat capacity, meeting the minimum requirement for hosting FIFA games,” he emphasized. “The location of the new stadium should be at 168th and Fraser Highway on city-owned land next to the new SkyTrain station to reduce car dependence.”
Councillor Mandeep Nagra said: “My fear is that Brenda Locke is going to cancel the plans to build a new Newton Community Centre that has been earmarked to be built on newly purchased land and redirect those funds towards her vanity pet project to build her small-minded, out-of-touch stadium.”
McCallum called on Surrey to adopt a grander vision that matches its growth and ambition, emphasizing the need for a world-class stadium that can serve as a cornerstone for the city’s future.
