Rumor Mill

While the CHL Prospects game went off without a hitch, rumors were swirling from Scouts to Business Owners to the Media, but still no answer.

For the past couple of years we have heard rumors that the Vancouver Giants are looking at a new location for the WHL franchise, but one has to ask where it might be placed or built?

Some might have thought Delta as the owner Ron Toigo lives in Delta, but quite simply as I was told by some City Councillors, we have no land other than farm land – so NO!!

Surrey continues to grow with business and families that could clearly use a new facility, considering the old Surrey Rec Centre is out dated and I hear it is being torn down, but nothing firm yet.

There is land however near the Scott Road Sky Train, maybe just north of King George Hwy, but they have the transportation and parking, which is an added bonus.

Over the past few seasons the Vancouver Giants attendance has dropped at the Pacific Coliseum and if you figure in 24 home games (this season) the average crowd is around 4,926 which is a drop from what they averaged (7,450) in 2010-11.

The drop in part is that the team has not won a playoff series since 2009-10 and hit a road-block on the ice as well.

They hired (June 2015) a new Head Coach who is working magic to turn the team around as well as lost the services of GM Scott Bonner, who resigned just prior to Christmas.

Surrey City Council carried a motion earlier this week for staff to issue a request for expressions of interest for a new “spectator-sport facility,” to be built adjacent to two ice rinks already slated for a 5.7-hectare lot at 12780-110th Ave. near Scott Road Station.

Naturally Surrey would like to see a public-private partnership to have a private partner finance, design, build and operate the arena on a parcel of land provided at no cost by the city.

And why not as it would save the taxpayers the much dreaded rate increase, such as a property tax increase, garbage fee increase or even a road toll – but I don’t want to go there!

If such a partner were found it would be an added bonus if they were attached to a team/league looking for a new home. This all according to Surrey City documents.

Councillor Bruce Hayne stated “a number of organizations” involved with hockey, soccer and other sports have shown interest in such a project in recent years, but to date – nothing!!

Regardless of what you might think or wish for, this won’t be ready for the 2016-17 season and possibly not the one after that either.

Here’s hoping tho?