Downtown Surrey BIA looks to raise $100K for new facility to celebrate CEO’s 100th Ironman race

The CEO of the Downtown Surrey BIA is gearing up to complete her 100th Ironman competition next year but she has another big goal in mind: raising $100,000 for the new YMCA that’s set to be built in City Centre.

“The YMCA represents activity,” said DSBIA manager Bonnie Burnside. “Elizabeth has showed, with close to 100 Ironman races under her belt, how rewarding it is to be active- that’s why we’re having a dance.”

As part of the fundraising efforts, the DSBIA is holding the first-ever “Y Dance” event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Civic Plaza on Monday, July 29, where all proceeds will go towards the new recreation centre.

The inspiration for this particular event came from young girls Chloe, Ryley, Aubrey, and Sienna, who have raised money for organizations such as the Centre for Child Development, the Surrey Food Bank and Surrey Christmas Bureau in the past.

“The girls love to dance,” Burnside said. “What better way to raise money for a new recreation centre than to move around and have fun?”

The Y Dance will feature a live DJ, a silent auction, and organizers say it “will be a great place for kids to bring their friends for a fun time.”

“If you’re in the area on Monday July 29, come and trade your running shoes for your dancing shoes and start your week off on the right note!” organizers add.

A site for the proposed new YMCA has not been publicly revealed. On Friday, July 19, YMCA spokesperson Kelly Walker Shobel told the Now-Leader that “the YMCA and the City of Surrey continue discussions on the site for the new Surrey City Centre YMCA.”

In 2016, the YMCA revealed its interest in building a second location in Surrey and last year, the YMCA, SFU and Surrey City Development Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding as a ‘foundation for a potential YMCA centre.’

SEE ALSO: YMCA in talks with SFU about second Surrey location

READ MORE: New YMCA to be built in Surrey’s City Centre neighbourhood

David Gaskin, YMCA board member and chief financial officer for Coast Capital Savings, told Surrey City Council in 2016 that the new Surrey YMCA “will be an important tool in response to the growing needs of a community in transition.

“City Centre is evolving as a dynamic regional centre which, over the next decade, will experience remarkable transformations,” Gaskin added. “This is exactly the right place and the right time for a YMCA centre of community.”

It is expected the new Surrey facility will be 60,000 square feet, have an aquatics centre with two pools, a fitness centre, a gym, multipurpose rooms and a family development centre.

In April, 2017 the provincial government committed $11 million to YMCA expansion throughout the Lower Mainland – $3 million to expand its youth mindfulness program and $8 to support existing infrastructure projects.

Surrey’s existing Tong Louie YMCA is located at 14988 57th Ave.