FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
SURREY, BC — A day after saying no to the mayor’s arena deal, Imagine Surrey and mayoral candidate Mike Starchuk today committed to a record investment in the places Surrey families actually use: three new community centres, paid for in part by not overpaying for arena land. Three community centres, a 5% expansion of park space, 10% more greenways (including a signature Greenway Loop), and a new aquatic center in Cloverdale.
Surrey has grown by tens of thousands of people since the last election, and the neighbourhoods they moved into were told to wait. Newton was promised a community centre for the better part of a decade. After years of argument at City Hall over where to put it, the current council now says 2030. The rest of the city is not on the schedule at all.
Imagine Surrey would build the arena on cheaper land in a better spot and the difference goes to building the community centres that we need.
Each centre holds the potential for new child care space, a library branch, a pool or ice rink, and programming spaces for youth and seniors.
“In four years this council has not opened a single community centre. Newton’s is now promised for 2030, and Surrey grew by tens of thousands of people while everyone argued about where to put it,” said Mike Starchuk. “A city growing at our pace needs an historic investment in community infrastructure; the cost of inaction is too high.”
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About Imagine Surrey
Imagine Surrey is a civic party running a full slate of candidates in the October 17, 2026 municipal election. Led by mayoral candidate Mike Starchuk – a former firefighter and Chief Fire Prevention Officer, former City Councillor, and former MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale – Imagine Surrey is committed to making Surrey the City of Champions by delivering: safe streets, fast commutes, smart investments, lower costs, and strong services.
Council candidates: Yousef Aldabainah-Barakat, Chandan Chahal, Perminder Chohan, Narima Dela Cruz, Ashiyana Hanif, William Li, Dr. Margaret Mubanda, and Kevin Wilkie.
Contact
Trevor Loke, Campaign Manager
604-838-5178
[email protected] / [email protected]