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PHOTOS: Just days after good deed in Whalley, vandals torch North Surrey Tigers clubhouse

The team recently spent the evening feeding the homeless along 135A Street
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Surrey Fire investigates the blaze that destroyed the North Surrey Tigers clubhouse. (Submitted photo)

So much for good karma.

Just days after we did a story on the North Surrey Tigers night of giving back in Whalley, the Tigers brass entered a clubhouse on Sunday morning that had been torched by vandals.

It’s not the first time the Tigers have endured this of late, but it is the most severe case of arson they’ve faced.

On Oct. 4th, Surrey RCMP confirmed that vandals lit a fire outside of the building outside of the Tigers clubhouse in Bear Creek Park.

There was no major damage during the first fire. The second fire wasn’t so sympathetic.

After the vandals reportedly lit the fire outside, it ended up causing major damage to the building. The flames grew big enough to burn a hole right through the roof.

The incident comes just two weeks after a story was published on the Tigers giving back to ‘tent city.’ The team practices at Tom Binnie Park in North Surrey, right by the notorious 135A Street.

Some of the parents and players organized a night where the junior boys’ football team spent the evening feeding residents meals while providing them with hot beverages and warm clothes.

Not long after the Tigers good deed went public, the team of 350 different players and cheerleaders have been booted out of their recreational home.

“I don’t understand why anyone would intentionally set out to hurt our organization by vandalizing it,” said team manager and football parent Shar Jaggard, “Our association has been a long-standing pillar in the community providing a place where everyone belongs.

“We really are a family,” she said.

The clubhouse has been a landmark for people like Jaggard, who has been involved with the team for over 20 years.

“It’s been there for over 50 years,” she said. “Some people that were players are now coaches of the team.”

With the arson still fresh in the minds of the organization, there isn’t a plan on where the Tigers are going to relocate.

“As a non-profit organization we can’t afford the extra costs the come with being temporarily relocated,” said Jaggard.”

In order to try and help cover the costs of relocating, storing items, security cameras and more, the Tigers have set up a GoFundMe Page for people to make donations.

They will also be hosting a pub night on Friday, Dec. 8th at One20 pub in Delta. Tickets for the event are $25, and purchase includes a $20 gift card to One20 pub, and a door prize ticket.



trevor.beggs@surreynowleader.com

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Vandals apparently tried to break into the clubhouse to start a fire. (Submitted photo)
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Aftermath of the fire outside of the North Surrey Tigers clubhouse. (Submitted photo)
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North Surrey Tigers junior boys Damon Brown, Hayden Gudbranson, Thomas Ong, AJ Baker, Justice Fee, Xzaiver Boszak, Uzair Faiyaz, Noah Jaggard, Rajan Sidhu volunteered at tent city on Thursday, Nov. 9th. (Submitted photo)
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A picture of the North Surrey Tigers bantam team after a game on Sunday, Nov. 21st. (Submitted photo)