$40 million recreation centre expansion for Surrey City Centre (RENDERINGS)

Artistic rendering of the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre expansion. (Shape Architecture/City of Surrey)

The City of Surrey is making progress on its plan to provide Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre with a much-needed major expansion.

Recently released detailed design schematics show this project will almost double the size of the facility. It will not only replace some of the lost spaces in the North Surrey Recreation Centre, which permanently closed over two years ago, but also help meet the expected demand from the long-term population growth of Surrey City Centre.

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The two-level expansion will be built on the facility’s existing surface parking lot at the southeast corner of the intersection of University Drive and 107a Avenue — only about one block south of SkyTrain Gateway Station.

Existing condition of Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre:

Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre Surrey expansion

Parking lot site for the expansion of Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre in Surrey City Centre. (Google Maps)

chuck bailey recreation centre surrey existing

Existing condition of Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre in Surrey City Centre. (Google Maps)

Future condition of Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre:

Layout of the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre expansion. (Shape Architecture/City of Surrey)

The expansion provides the facility with a second gymnasium, large fitness area, fitness studio, billiards room, multi-purpose rooms, arts and craft room, teaching kitchen, a major childcare facility, and common spaces.

This will be designed to a superior green building standard, with a passive-first design that operates at or near zero emissions. The project’s design firm is Shape Architecture.

Artistic rendering of the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre expansion. (Shape Architecture/City of Surrey)

Additional features entail a civic plaza, a large open lawn for outdoor learning, fitness, and special events, and extensive landscaping.

Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre’s existing outdoor ball hockey rink and covered skate park to the south will be retained.

A single underground level within the footprint of the expansion will provide 95 vehicle parking stalls — replacing the existing surface parking lot’s capacity — and 38 secured bike parking spaces.

Artistic rendering of the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre expansion. (Shape Architecture/City of Surrey)

Floor plan of Level 1 of the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre expansion. (Shape Architecture/City of Surrey)

Floor plan of Level 2 of the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre expansion. (Shape Architecture/City of Surrey)

No aquatic centre is incorporated into this project, but the site’s remaining open space and a reconfiguration of the ball hockey rink could potentially accommodate an additional expansion at some point in the future when funding is made available. Until then, the 2015-built Guildford Aquatic Centre is the primary swimming facility for Surrey City Centre.

Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre’s existing building was also a product of a multi-phase project, with the first phase completed in 2009 — just in time for its use as a training facility for volunteers of the 2010 Olympics. Another phase resulting in added indoor space was built in 2012. This original facility is designed by architectural firm HDR.

The cost of the upcoming expansion is pegged at $40 million. Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2023 for a completion in 2024 or 2025.

Artistic rendering of the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre expansion. (Shape Architecture/City of Surrey)

The municipal government pursued this expansion of Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre after its May 2020 decision to cancel its partnership with the YMCA of Greater Vancouver and Simon Fraser University to build Surrey City Centre YMCA. This YMCA facility had been eyed as the solution to meet the growing needs of Surrey City Centre.

The YMCA project fell apart after costs escalated to $75 million, with the City and YMCA of Greater Vancouver each committing $20 million. The cancelled 60,000 sq ft YMCA facility included an aquatic centre, fitness centre, gymnasium, multi-purpose rooms, and a childcare facility.

The existing Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre. (Naturally Wood)

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