Minor baseball associations in Newton and Cloverdale are now involved in a "partnership" that involves plans to merge.
Spring league registration opens this week for both the Newton Canadian and Cloverdale organizations as they look to unite as one in the BC Minor Baseball Association (BCMBA), a post on on Newton's website explains.
"The combined goal is to work closely together to bring the best player/team development model to Surrey under this new vision in partnering together that will encompass working together in all respective BCMBA divisions from 5U through 18U," the web statement reads.
For 2025, players from both Newton and Cloverdale will play under Cloverdale Minor Baseball Association with the new partnership, says an emailed memo to members of Newton Canadian.
On Sunday (Dec. 1), the two baseball associations walked together and shared a float during the Surrey Santa Parade of Lights in Cloverdale.
Reached Monday, Newton association president Valen Kayaks said logistics for the "partnership" are being worked on by a joint committee.
"We're not calling it a merger yet, but that is something we're working toward," said Kayaks. "It's a partnership right now. Over the next year or two it'll be known as one association, probably a new name. These are things being worked on."
The Newton and Cloverdale baseball associations "will be interlocking all levels for all ages and we all hope to merge with Guildford in the near future generating one association for Surrey kids with no catchment barriers," Kayaks added.
Last spring at Unwin Park in Newton, Kayaks saw a large, 36-acre park with a long baseball history but increasingly short of young players. Low registration numbers prompted him to contact news outlets with concerns about the potential loss of Newton Canadian Baseball, whose use of Unwin Park dates to the mid-1960s.
Surrey has four member associations of BC Minor Baseball including Newton Canadian, Surrey Canadian (in Guildford and Whalley), Cloverdale and White Rock-South Surrey organizations. COVID killed registration numbers for a time, but the post-pandemic rebound for baseball numbers has been slow in Newton for various reasons, Kayaks said.
Now, he views a potential merger with Cloverdale as a move that will save baseball in Newton with the return of AAA-level play.
"There are improvements coming to the park (Unwin) and other things," Kayaks said. "We're told there is a master plan for the park and we've had meetings with the city about those plans. We need the diamonds there, and now our numbers will only increase now that we're offering AAA."
In a memo to members, Newton Canadian's executive team says registration for the 2025 baseball season will be done through the "home" association, determined by address. NCBA catchment boundaries are 86 Avenue on the north, Colebrook Road on south, 120 Street on the west and 152 Street, east.
"Park expansion and use of diamonds for all players will increase between Unwin Park, Cloverdale Baseball Park and Hillcrest for all divisions," the memo says. "Expect some form of travel within these facilities for games and practices in addition to local Spring Interlock or Single Season High Performance divisional games if applicable."
Also, spring player assessments "will be under Cloverdale Minor Baseball procedures. Team selections/placement will be done under one association."
