Skaters rejoice as new $132M ice arena opens in Surrey, B.C.

British ColumbiaThe ribbon’s been cut on the new $132-million Cloverdale Sport and Ice Complex in Surrey, B.C., and local skaters are ready to hit the ice.The new arena currently has 2 NHL-sized rinks, and a 3rd rink is on the wayLauren Vanderdeen · CBC News · Posted: Oct 26, 2025 4:52 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe Lower Mainland Synchronized Skating Club practices at the new Cloverdale Sport and Ice Complex. (Kier Junos/CBC)The ribbon’s been cut on the new $132-million Cloverdale Sport and Ice Complex in Surrey, B.C., and local skaters are excited to lace up their skates and hit the ice.The new arena features two NHL-sized ice rinks, each with 227 seats for spectators, four full-size team dressing rooms, and features for accessible ice sports such as para ice hockey, according to the city.Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said the new arena will support children, youth and adults.“This complex is about kids getting their first pair of skates, women and girls hockey expanding, figure skaters training closer to home, and hockey tournaments that fill our hotels,” Locke said.“It’s community health and inclusion and economic activity all in one place.”The arena complex will get a third NHL-sized rink, as construction on a $35-million addition is set to begin soon, according to Locke. The mayor said she expects the third rink to be finished by 2027.The Cloverdale Sport and Ice Complex opened in Surrey, B.C., Saturday, Oct. 25. (Kier Junos/CBC)The original design for the Cloverdale arena project was developed in 2017, according to a city staff report in 2022, but the project was “paused” in 2018 as part of a budget review. The project returned to the council agenda in February 2022.The province contributed $70.2 million to the project as part of its growing communities fund, announced in 2023, which gives grants to municipalities using a formula to reflect population size and growth.”Surrey is one of the fastest cities to have turned that funding into a real facility for the community,” Premier David Eby said at the arena’s opening.Locke hinted that city council is in the midst of developing a plan for another three-rink arena project in South Surrey.“We really do have to build more … ice surfaces for Surrey. I would say that we can always build more — it’s insatiable, the need in Surrey, and that’s mostly because we’re a city of families.”Community groups ready to hit the iceFigure skaters with the Lower Mainland Synchronized Skating Club’s junior team Valencia Budijanto and Jaymee Downey both agreed the new rinks will benefit their team and the wider community.“It’s great that we have another facility … making sure we’re ready for competition, it’s good to have more ice time,” Downey said.“It’s really spacious, so we have lots of room to do our off-ice [warmups]” she added.Jaymee Downey, left, and Valencia Budijanto, members of the Lower Mainland Synchronized Skating Club’s junior team, are ready to hit the ice at the new Cloverdale Sport and Ice Complex. (Kier Junos/CBC)Budijanto said the arena will be a good central location for the team, which has members scattered from Vancouver to Chilliwack.Members of the new Pacific Junior Hockey League team the Cloverdale Junior Hockey Club are also excited for the new rinks.Team captain Zachary Johns said it’s a “top-of-the-line” facility.“It’s pretty nice — we only have one rink here in Cloverdale, so to get two more, it’s pretty special,” Johns said.Cloverdale Junior Hockey Club captain Zachary Johns says the new arena in Cloverdale, B.C., will support kids learning to skate. (Kier Junos/CBC)“It’s special for the whole community, especially the little kids growing up, you know, they get this nice facility to play games and practice in and it’s just more ice time for everyone that wants to hit the ice.”Head coach Adam Rossignol said the team, which is in its inaugural season, is Cloverdale’s first junior team since the 1970s.“I’m super excited to get our team off the ground and see this brand new beautiful facility that everybody in Cloverdale gets to use,” Rossignol said.ABOUT THE AUTHORLauren Vanderdeen is a web writer for CBC British Columbia. She formerly worked for community newspapers, including the Burnaby Now and New West Record. You can reach her at lauren.vanderdeen@cbc.ca.With files from Kier Junos