Surrey will be investing $1 million in a Mat Room in a new gymnasium at the Newtion Recreation Centre that is expected to provide a huge boost to members of the Khalsa Wrestling Club and the Guru Hargobind Wrestling Club that have won medals at the provincial, national and international levels.
For the past two and a half years, the Chair of the Parks and Community Services Committee, Councillor Linda Hepner, and the Chair of the Finance Committee, Councillor Tom Gill, have been working diligently with several wrestling groups to formalize a primary space for wrestling.
The Khalsa Wrestling Club, with some 40 members, who are currently practicing out of a barn at 40 Avenue and 160 Street and the Guru Hargobind Wrestling Club, with about 60 members, who are practicing out of a warehouse location just off 128 Street and 82 Avenue, will now be able to use this space to practise and compete.
The City of Surrey recently announced the creation of a new gymnasium at the Newton Recreation Centre at cost of $3 million. Now, in conjunction with the gymnasium, the city will be investing a further $1 million to fund the Mat Room.
This building extension on the side of the new gymnasium will accommodate two full-size, regulation wrestling mats facilitating a respectful practice area and providing a safe training location to allow athletes to compete and train at a much higher level and promote tournaments.
“I am extremely pleased that we were able to capitalize on the infrastructure given to us to provide this much-needed space for our residents involved in the sport of wrestling,” said Gill.
“Together, Tom and I have worked very strategically with our community partners to bring this much needed space to fruition,” said Hepner.
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