Doug McCallum is condemning Brenda Locke’s decision to shut down Fraser Downs racetrack, calling it a devastating blow to Surrey’s economy, its heritage, and working families.
Fraser Downs , the only standardbred horse racing track in British Columbia was abruptly shuttered after Locke terminated the lease at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds. The closure ends nearly 50 years of racing history and puts hundreds of Surrey residents out of work. “Brenda Locke has steamrolled an entire industry in Surrey,” said Doug McCallum. “Trainers, breeders, jockeys, and workers with unique skill sets are now out of work. These aren’t jobs that can be replaced overnight. She has destroyed an industry just to push through her ego-driven redevelopment schemes.”
McCallum said the timing of Locke’s decision couldn’t be worse, as Surrey families already struggle with cost of living crisis.
“With the economy in turmoil from tariffs, with families already worried about their bread and butter, Brenda Locke is laying them off,” McCallum said. “Instead of supporting industries that sustain Surrey families, she’s pulling the rug out from under them.” Fraser Downs has been a pillar of Cloverdale since 1976, supporting local jobs, drawing visitors, and building a strong equestrian culture in Surrey. McCallum says Locke’s redevelopment plans for condos aren’t about revitalization, they’re about power and vanity.
“This isn’t city-building, it’s city-destroying,” McCallum continued. “She’s ripping out Cloverdale’s roots and bulldozing its heritage to chase a condo pet project no one asked for. That is not leadership. That is ego.”
The horse racing industry in Surrey supports more than 200 workers and countless families who depend on the trade of breeding, training, and racing standardbred horses. Unlike other industries, these skills aren’t easily transferable, meaning Locke’s decision effectively wipes out careers and futures.
“These families aren’t just losing jobs, they’re losing their way of life,” McCallum said. “Generations of Cloverdale history are being thrown away because Brenda Locke decided her vision of a condo development mattered more than people.”
McCallum vowed to stand with Surrey families impacted by the closure and fight back against Locke’s reckless disregard for jobs and heritage.
“Brenda Locke has shown she doesn’t listen, doesn’t care, and doesn’t understand Surrey,” McCallum concluded. “I stand with the workers, the families, and the history of Cloverdale and I will continue to fight for them.”
Source: Media Contact: Doug McCallum
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
