BC Lions move Surrey practices to Hjorth Road Park amid turf issues

The BC Lions have moved practices from their Whalley facility to the synthetic field at Hjorth Road Park in Guildford for the rest of the CFL season, and possibly longer, because the turf at Tom Binnie Park is not up to standard.

Neil McEvoy, the Lions’ vice-president of football operations, said the team uses the grass field at Tom Binnie Park at times, but players prefer practising on the surface on which they play. The Lions have used Hjorth Road on wet days before, though more frequently this season.

The turf at Tom Binnie is being replaced, and McEvoy said the team will return once work is complete. There is no firm schedule, although the turf has reportedly been ordered and installation will require suitable weather. The team hopes the work will be completed by next year’s training camp in April or May. Surrey recreation officials have reportedly approved the work after plans for a 10,000-seat arena shifted south to the corner of 104 Avenue and King George Boulevard, away from the Lions’ training-facility land.

McEvoy said transporting players and equipment to Hjorth Road several times a week is difficult, but worthwhile to secure a good practice field. On Friday, Aug. 28, before the Lions left for a Sunday game in Ottawa, longtime fans Jenny Brittain and Kathie Currie attended practice in orange jerseys identifying them as Team Granny #1 and #2. They brought four dozen Tim Hortons muffins for players; Brittain also brings cookies or loaves on other occasions.

Brittain and her husband Raymond co-founded the Lion Backers fan club 32 years ago. She said the group attends practice weekly and follows the team wherever it goes. Season ticket-holders Teresa and Garry Wong often travel from Vernon to watch practice in Surrey before attending Lions home games at BC Place.

Currie, the Lion Backers president, said merchandise sales at games help fund the food brought to players and donations to Union Gospel Mission and Surrey Food Bank. The club’s Facebook page has 840 members. Brittain said she expects the Lions to continue their hot streak, while Currie said the club plans to travel to Calgary for the Grey Cup in November.