The Surrey/White Rock branch of the Navy League of Canada is looking for a new home for its 130 cadets as the provincial government has other plans for the Green Timbers parade and training grounds.

The cadets use three buildings, and an old parking lot for marching, in the 9800-block of 140th Street.

"The government wants to sell it," said Cathie Kopp, president of the Surrey/White Rock branch. "Fraser Health is supposed to be taking it over. What they want to do apparently is tear it down."

Kopp expects the axe to fall some time before June next year. "It could be sooner."

In the meantime, the non-profit organization is hoping to find a new place somewhere else in Surrey, hopefully in Newton.

"That's where a lot of our cadets are from," she noted. "We have started looking for a new place which is turning out to be a dead end. If we do not find a place to go, our cadets - over 100 - will be out in the streets, which is something I really want to avoid. It will be a sad day if that happens."

The cadets are boys and girls, ages nine to 18. The Surrey/White Rock branch of the Navy League of Canada looks after two cadets corps, the NLCC #151 Cormorant youth ages nine to 12 and RCSCC 307 Mariner youth ages 12 to 18.

The operation is solely run on donations as well as fundraising the cadets do themselves.

"We do fundraising by tagging weekends when you see the cadets out with their tin cans at various stores," Kopp noted.

These efforts buy training supplies, band equipment and pay for trips. The cadets' budget is very strict, Kopp said.

Many cadets join the RCMP and Canadian Armed Forces when they're older.

"They are fine young ladies and gentlemen with many skills," Kopp said, adding they are engaged in wholesome activities that keep them off the streets. "We give them something to do with their time."

tzytaruk@thenownewspaper.com

Twitter @tomzytaruk