The phrase “barns demolished at Fraser Downs” now captures a painful reality for B.C. harness racing fans. Excavators have finished tearing down the backstretch barns at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds, erasing another piece of Surrey’s racing history.
Local reporting confirms that by Dec. 18 every barn on the site had been flattened. Piles of rubble now sit where grooms once mucked stalls, trainers walked horses and owners swapped stories after night cards.
From final race to complete shutdown
The last official races at Fraser Downs ran on May 2, when the Winter/Spring Meet wrapped up. At that point, many horsepeople expected to be back for a fall meet. Instead, the track closed abruptly in mid‑August.
Track operator Great Canadian Entertainment shut operations on Aug. 15, only weeks before racing was set to resume. The move came after the City of Surrey ended the lease for the racetrack property, clearing the way for future redevelopment at the fairgrounds.
Crews began dismantling the grandstand and track infrastructure almost immediately. The barns demolished at Fraser Downs mark the next and most emotional step in that process.
End of an era for Surrey harness racing
Fraser Downs first hosted harness racing in 1976. For nearly half a century it served as the province’s lone Standardbred venue, drawing drivers, trainers and bettors from across B.C. and beyond.
For many in Cloverdale, the track was more than a business. It was a community hub, a place where families worked, socialized and marked milestones. Seeing the barns demolished at Fraser Downs feels, to them, like losing a small town inside the city.
Uncertain future for the sport in B.C.
The demolition comes as the broader industry faces new financial pressure. The provincial government announced in late November that racing will no longer receive support from expanded gaming revenues after 2026. That decision removes a key funding pillar just as the sport searches for a new home.
Harness Racing British Columbia has started planning for life after Fraser Downs. Following a Board meeting in early December, the group told members it is exploring race dates at Desert Park in Osoyoos for the 2026 season.
Officials say they are working on a funding strategy and will share more once agreements are finalized. For now, though, trainers and drivers have more questions than answers about where they will stable, train and race their horses.
Remembering what Fraser Downs meant
As the barns demolished at Fraser Downs story spreads, longtime patrons are revisiting old photos and programs. They remember packed stands on Friday nights, the smell of the barn area after a summer shower, the thrill of watching a favourite pacer surge in the lane.
Redevelopment will eventually bring new buildings and new stories to the Cloverdale Fairgrounds. But for those who spent decades under the track lights, the empty space where the barns once stood will always hold the echo of hoofbeats—and the memory of a racing era that helped define Surrey’s sporting identity.
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