.
SURREY
THE
November 2010
The Leader looks at how the city has grown to become Metro Vancouver’s second downtown core
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focus on the future
Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
Surrey Art Gallery Presents
Recreation centre or leading edge culture? Both! It’s Surrey Urban Screen, one of the largest non-commercial screens of its type in Canada. It’s hard to miss because it’s a huge part – 100 x 32 feet – of the west wall of Surrey’s new Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre. But calling it just a screen doesn’t do it justice. It’s a surprisingly innovative blend of technology and public art, enabling Surrey Art Gallery and its artists to reach audiences larger than they ever have before. Not your typical art gallery experience Given its size and Surrey City Centre location, the screen is hard to miss. And when the digital media on display is as captivating as the current artwork – Transience by Flicker Art Media (Aleksandra Dulic and Kenneth Newby) – the effect can be mesmerizing. Rich with change and diversity But don’t expect audiences to get bored with the current installation that runs until April 30, 2011. Inspired by the daily travels of commuters and the rich diversity of Surrey’s community, Transience combines thousands of images in dozens of different patterns for a new experience each time. Transience also offers a unique multimedia aspect, with an audio soundtrack being broadcast on 89.9 FM. Returning public discussion to the public As a critical response to the growing commercialization of public spaces – what some call visual pollution – urban screens are a dynamic new phenomenon in North America. While a small number of European and Australian cities have urban screens, Surrey’s newest public art venue is making waves across the country for its ingenuity. What’s the potential for this exciting mixture of high-powered media devices and compelling public artwork? Hard to say. But experts hold out considerable hope that venues like Surrey Urban Screen will restore the role of public spaces as a vital location for stimulating social discussions and idea exploration. Time for a look? Surrey Urban Screen exhibits will change three times per year, with the screen going dark in the summer. With the need for darkness to see the on-screen artwork, viewers will find the venue operating 30 minutes after sunset and continuing until midnight daily.
Surrey Urban Screen venue Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre 13458 107A Avenue Surrey, BC V3T 0G4 Tel. 604.598.5898 Surrey Urban Screen is an outreach venue of the Surrey Art Gallery and is the Public Art feature of the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre. The venue can be viewed from the SkyTrain between Gateway and Surrey Central stations. www.surreyurbanscreen.ca To receive updates about exhibitions and related programs, sign up for e-bulletins at www.surrey.ca/arts
Image: Flicker Art Media (Aleksandra Dulic & Kenneth Newby), Transience (2010), installation image. Courtesy of the artists, photographed by Sharon Doucette.
Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
focus on the future
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From transients and timber,
to Metro’s new metropolis Surrey has grown to become the region’s second downtown by Kevin Diakiw
E
xplorers, trail builders and miners swept through this area 150 years ago, in search of gold. They were just passing through, and up until 1870, there were still less than 10 families (aside from the Semiahmoo and Kwantlen First Nations) living in what is now Surrey. Those who stayed were farmers or entrepreneurs after the huge supply of timber. Giant cedars and fir trees could measure 18 and 25 feet in diameter when fully matured. Transportation was made possible with little more than a small series of byways: the Semiahmoo-Langley, Kennedy, and Telegraph trails – small roads which suffered seasonal flooding. In the early days, industry in Surrey was all logging and agriculture. Little could the pioneers of that time know they were working on what would become the fastest-growing city in Canada – a boomtown now considered the second “downtown” (after Vancouver) of the Metro region. Surrey has been working to earn that designation for a long time. Getting the necessary concentration of commercial, office space and high-density residential buildings into North Surrey – now
known as City Centre – has been the challenge of city councils for decades. Meetings with business groups, print runs of glossy brochures and promises to “clean up” the crime-ridden Whalley area failed to encourage investors to transform the area into a vibrant city core. Some progress was made at the turn of this century with the construction of the 25-storey Central City tower and the creation of the Surrey campus of Simon Fraser University. However, administrators in the past have told The Leader many investors were waiting for the city to “put its money where its mouth is” by relocating city hall downtown. That, along with a host of other civic investments, are in the pipeline now to show Surrey is there, and then some. Some of the projects identified in the city’s Build Surrey Program – a collection of capital projects that will be built over the next six years – include new swimming pools, gyms, and other recreational facilities; upgrades to the main RCMP detachment and Surrey Pre-Trial Services Centre; hospital expansions; RCMP E Division headquarters; and more. Specific to City Centre will be a new library, performing arts centre, youth park and civic plaza. And yes, city hall is moving downtown.
This is how Surrey planners envision the City Centre area in the year 2075.
At the same time, apartment buildings and residential highrises are sprouting up across the downtown core. Adding to the promise of a vibrant future are the huge transportation improvements that will have a direct impact on this city, including the construction of the South Fraser Perimeter Road (which will stretch from the Golden Ears Bridge almost to Deltaport), a new 10-lane Port Mann Bridge, a commitment from the province to build a new Pattullo Bridge, and plans to expand SkyTrain (or other rapid transit technology) deeper into Surrey and on to Langley. With a current population of 466,000 and 1,000 new residents moving here every month, both challenges and opportunities loom large. By 2021, Metro Vancouver estimates Surrey will have a population of 578,000. By 2041, that figure increases to 740,000 – identical to the 2041 population projection for Vancouver. Moving that many people throughout the city and providing all the necessary services, such as recreation centres, park land, libraries, etc. – while preserving heritage and the environment – is an imposing challenge. In the pages that follow, The Leader examines how the City of Surrey is overcoming those hurdles.
Top photo courtesy Surrey Archives; bottom is Evan Seal
Then and now: King George Highway and 108 Avenue, circa 1950 (top) and King George Boulevard and 108 Avenue today.
What’s inside Growth and challenges ......................................................................page 5
Biggest school district ......................................................................page 8
Profile: City Centre .................................................................. page 10
New education digs .................................................................. page 11
Motorists: Pay up ................................................................... page 13
Profile: Cloverdale ................................................................... page 18
Profile: Fleetwood ................................................................... page 20
Surrey in 2030 ................................................................... page 22
Future of the RCMP ................................................................... page 27
Profile: Guildford ................................................................... page 28
Railway relief ................................................................... page 29
A LEEDS leader ................................................................... page 31
Profile: Newton ................................................................... page 33
Profile: South Surrey ................................................................... page 36
Then and now ................................................................... page 38
Surrey in Focus was written by Leader reporters Kevin Diakiw, Dan Ferguson, Jeff Nagel and Sheila Reynolds, and contributor Marelle Reid.
City of Surrey image
Photographs by staff photographers Evan Seal and Boaz Joseph Cover and layout design – Glory Wilkinson Editor – Paula Carlson
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focus on the future
Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
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Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
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Planning for B.C.’s biggest city More efficient transit is key to success in being the province’s most populous municipality by Kevin Diakiw
W
ith a land mass larger than Vancouver, Burnaby and Richmond combined, Surrey has grown at breakneck speed for the last decade. Many of those years, building permit values exceeded $1 billion, with residential building accounting for most of that construction. With all of that growth comes both challenges and opportunities. At 466,000 people and 1,000 more coming to Surrey each month, the city is expected to become the most populous city in B.C. within the next two decades. As that happens, Surrey is also moving from a rural community to an urban core – already described as the region’s next “Metro Centre.” Because of that, emerging challenges must be met so the city can make the most out the advantages that come with being a growing, dynamic municipality. One of the key challenges will be adequate transportation. Vincent Lalonde, Surrey’s general manager of engineering, believes moving people and goods will be one of the most important tasks to tackle in the years to come. In charge of the department that designs and builds this city’s roads, Lalonde said Surrey will require thoroughfares that meet the needs of every kind of transportation – from pedestrians, to cyclists to buses, trucks and cars. “I think the number-one challenge that comes with growth for sure is transportation,” Lalonde said. “That’s where we have been putting a lot more emphasis in the last three to four years.” Before roads can be planned appropriately, it’s important to know what level of public transit will be available. Surrey has been lobbying TransLink, the transit authority, for a long while in an attempt to get better bus service. In October, TransLink unveiled its options for rapid transit expansion in Surrey, which include a combination of more SkyTrain lines, a system of ground-level light rail,
and additional buses. Public consultations took place in late October, and results from the meetings are expected by next summer. “We have to influence TransLink and partner with them for service to our citizens,” Lalonde said. Once better service arrives, more residents will take transit, making it financially viable for TransLink, he said. Surrey is also working toward establishing sustainable energy for the future. “District energy” provided by the city will heat buildings in smaller communities. Lalonde said technologies such geothermal energy (taken from the earth), burned wood chips, waste-to-energy, and biogas create heat which can be piped into buildings, reducing, or eliminating the need for traditional thermal methods. The first test will be in the new city hall in North Surrey, along with the library, where the heating system will use alternative energy systems. Jean LaMontagne, Surrey’s general manager of planning and development, agrees that Vincent transportation will be key moving forward. He also said affordable housing will be a huge issue in years to come. “We’ve got a good stock of houses, but if you have an increase in population, you still need to develop (affordable housing). I think that’s always a challenge, because you try to provide something that’s a quality environment, yet you try to keep it affordable.” He also notes people living here have become far more conscious of the ecology and sustainability, meaning planners have to stay on their toes. On the environment front, the City of Surrey is currently in negotiations to construct a biofuel facility to convert the city’s green and food waste into biofuel, which can then be used to power vehicles. This would be the first such plant of
its kind in the province. Surrey is also going to be home to the region’s first ecocentre, which will be a one-stop drop-off location for recyclable, compostable, and reusable items, as well as whatever is left over as garbage. “Everybody is getting more educated,” LaMontagne said. “I see this as very meaningful, a healthy challenge – you’ve got the tools to make a difference.” Laurie Cavan, Surrey’s general manager of parks, said her division has to provide adequate facilities for all those people coming to the city. The Build Surrey Program provides some goals, but Cavan wants to see more of the city’s parks made accessible to active groups. Mayor Dianne Watts said that’s why the city created the Ecosystem Management Study and the Sustainability Charter. “We’ve raised the bar,” she said. “We will no longer accept development at any cost.” With people flowing into this city quickly, along with challenges, benefits also arise – chief among them is Surrey has caught the attention both the provincial and federal government. Lalonde of“We really have raised the profile of Surrey with other levels of government,” Watts said. That spotlight has resulted in funding for bricks and mortar, with major projects including the expansion of Surrey Memorial Hospital, the Golden Ears Bridge, the new Port Mann Bridge, plans for a new Pattullo Bridge and the South Fraser Perimeter Road. The fast-paced growth in population also means a requirement for more recreation facilities, many of them identified in the Build Surrey document, a road map for civic construction for the next six years. Watts said the city still needs to be fiscally prudent. “We’re trying to keep our taxes low,” she said. “We need to build a city, but we also want it to be affordable.”
“I think the number-one challenge that comes with growth for sure is transportation.”
A tale of two cities Surrey population projections: Q 2021: 578,000 Q 2031: 668,000 Q 2041: 740,000
Vancouver population projections: Q 2021: 673,000 Q 2031: 705,000 Q 2041: 740,000
Jobs in Surrey: Q 2021: 217,000 Q 2031: 259,000 Q 2041: 290,000
Jobs in Vancouver: Q 2021: 441,000 Q 2031: 464,000 Q 2041: 482,000
Total number of dwelling units, Surrey: Q 2021: 211,200 Q 2031: 255,700 Q 2041: 285,200
Total number of dwelling units, Vancouver:
Evan Seal photo
Vincent Lalonde, Surrey’s general manager of engineering, oversees the design and construction of the city’s roads.
Q 2021: 264,500 Q 2031: 306,700 Q 2041: 325,400
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Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
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Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
Struggling to keep pace with school space Not enough classrooms for ever-increasing number of students How many kids in Surrey schools? Q 2010: 67,700 Q 2015: an estimated 70,500
Number of kindergarten students Q 2010: 3,374 in full-day program Q 2015: 5,100 in full-day program
Portable projections Q 2010: 232 (5,800 students) Q 2015: an estimated 340 (8,500 students) Evan Seal photo
Unfortunately, portables will likely remain a familiar sight at Surrey schools, unless new provincial capital money is made available.
Cost of district’s building wish list Q 2010-2015: $272 million
Surrey is B.C.’s largest school district, and that’ not going to change in the near future.
by Sheila Reynolds
I
f the school district had all the money it wanted to build the classroom space it feels necessary in the coming years, there would be at least seven new schools built in Surrey by 2015. There would also be about a dozen additions constructed on cramped schools and another six or so pieces of land purchased to plan for future facilities. But that wish list isn’t likely to come to fruition. Surrey hasn’t received any provincial funding for new school space – besides modular buildings to accommodate full-day kindergarten at some schools – since 2005. One new school, Adams Road Elementary, is set to open this December near 68 Avenue and 182 Street and represents the last of the capital money granted to Surrey five years ago. “The really frustrating part is we’re shovel ready. If they came along tomorrow and said
‘here’s X million dollars for whatever,’ we’re ready to go,” said Surrey Board of Education chair Laurae McNally. Even then, however, it takes a minimum of two years to build an elementary school and three to five years to complete a high school. The lack of additional classroom space in a district growing by hundreds of learners each year means more and more students are destined to spend many class hours in portables. This year, there are about 230 of the so-called temporary Laurae classrooms in Surrey and by 2015, it’s estimated there will be roughly 340. In some neighbourhoods, such as the Clayton area in north Cloverdale and in Grandview Heights in South Surrey, there is a pressing demand for classrooms as housing development proceeds at lightning speed. Of course, the shift to full-day kindergarten
in 2010 and 2011 has put further strain on school space. And the school district is concerned what effect further provincial plans to expand the scope of the public education system may have on Surrey. In February 2010, the provincial Throne Speech announced “new partnerships with the private sector and parents will enable the establishment of neighbourhood preschools for four-year-olds and three-year-olds within communities over the next five years.” McNally That, according to projections, would leave several local elementary schools with between 15 and 30 portables apiece. Unless significant capital dollars are committed in the near future, it’s estimated such a plan would also dramatically increase the overall number of students in Surrey learning in portables.
“The really frustrating part is we’re shovel ready.”
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Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
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Our Future is Growing in Surrey!
Evan Seal photo
In 2008, nearly half of students in Surrey came from homes where a language other than English was spoken. The district will become even more multicultural in the coming years.
Diversity in education Multiple cultures, special needs and online courses will continue to challenge the Surrey School District by Sheila Reynolds
I
t’s already arguably one of the most culturally diverse school districts in the province. And if trends continue the way they have in recent years, the diversity in the classroom will continue to reflect that of the rapidly growing city of Surrey. In 2008, there were a documented 114 languages other than English spoken in the homes of Surrey public school students. And that’s 27 more languages than had been documented just five years earlier. School district figures show nearly 30,000 students – 44 per cent – came from homes where a language other than English is spoken. Board of Education chair Laurae McNally doesn’t anticipate the trend will change in coming years. “We are going to be a far more multicultural district than we are now,” predicts McNally, who has been a local school trustee since the 1980s. At some schools, nearly half the student population are English-as-a-Second-Language learners. But the multicultural nature of the classroom is far from the only challenge facing Surrey schools. As has been the trend for more than a decade, the growth in the number of students with special needs continues to exceed the rate of general school population growth. McNally also expects the number of children with special learning requirements will continue to rise. For years, the pace of enrolment growth of students with special
needs has exceeded the rate of overall enrolment growth. And with technology playing a bigger role in our world, it’s expected students of all cultures and learning levels will increasingly turn to distance learning. Surrey Connect, a distributed learning school where students are taught mainly outside the traditional classroom, primarily online, was established in 2003. In its first five years, the number of full- and part-time students enrolled went up by an astonishing 800 per cent. Often, students will pick up courses that aren’t offered at their schools, or utilize the program to support homeschooling. Students can work at their own pace and registration is continuous, making it a flexible option for children who don’t thrive in a classroom environment or for family with busy schedules. “I think students will be more active taking courses online,” says McNally.
Total languages spoken in Surrey schools: 2008 - 114 2015 (estimated) - 134
Total online learners (full-time): 2008 - 1,287 2015 (estimated) - 2,400
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Building efÀciency By consolidating many district and student support departments into a single building, the district will save an estimated $1.25 million annually through efficiencies, including the reduction of staff travel between district offices, elimination of many annual office lease payments and significant energy cost savings. This money, from the district’s annual operating budget, will be directed to the classroom.
Building environmental sustainability The DEC is built to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold standard. LEED is an internationally recognized rating system for a building’s environmental impact. The DEC will help the Surrey School District significantly in meeting provincial government requirements for the reduction of the public sector “carbon footprint”. The new building is expected to reduce the district’s carbon production by 62.5 per cent, and provide a reduction in gas and electricity costs of 54.7 per cent. The new District Education Centre provides a single, consolidated place for district staff to work, and for students, parents and the community to engage in and support learning.
Total special needs learners: 2008 - 6,132 2015 (estimated) - 7,125
School District No. 36 (Surrey) Keeping Learners at the Centre
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focus on the future
Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
City Centre Library: not just books ‘It’s going to be like no library you’ve ever seen,’ Whalley branch manager says by Marelle Reid
I
magine walking into a large warm room where people are relaxing in arm chairs next to displays of the latest best-sellers while sipping their morning dark roast. Rain streams down the window panes behind a roaring fireplace. People are chatting or tapping away on their laptops. Though it looks like a bookstore, this is actually the public library. No more the hushed reading room, the modern library has evolved to become the heart of the community. And by this time next year, Surrey residents will be able to enjoy their new City Centre branch – a $36-million, 77,000-sq.-ft. project – in more ways than one. The four-storey LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver-certified structure will feature, among other things, a coffee shop on the main floor, a teen lounge and gaming area, a world languages collection, quiet and silent study areas, a children’s section, living room reading lounge, outreach services for the visually impaired, and even a meditation room. Electronic services will be the most up-to-date in the province, with self-serve check-out stations and 80 computers for Internet connection. In designing the look of the interior space, the team at Bing Thom Architects (BTA) wanted to emphasize the library as a place for community gathering. A neutral palette of cream and maple will allow the books and people inside to add the colour. “Building a library with a lot of stacks in it is not necessarily the priority,” said BTA principal Michael Heeney. “It’s really about space – space for people as opposed to books. Trying to think about the kinds of activities that happen in libraries, we tried to make sure we had spaces that support those kinds of activities.”
Evan Seal photo
Surrey Chief Librarian Beth Barlow (left) and Whalley Library Manager Surinder Bhopal with the new City Centre Library taking shape behind them. The 77,000-sq.-ft. space will be a gathering place for bibliophiles and others.
City Centre And rather than expanding on the collection At the current Whalley library, which will even more right away, the library will simply be be replaced by the City Centre library, branch built with areas that offer room to grow. manager Surinder Bhogal says it can be difficult Bhogal said it was important to consider the in the much smaller library to find a balance information needs people will have between the community’s need for next year, and even 10 years down a space to mingle as well as space n to study in silence. tthe road. In light of this, spaces on the Patron Chris Cahill likes using the computers and finding things ffourth floor to be rented out until to read, but he mostly shows up tthe library’s collection and services for the social opportunities. eexpand to meet future needs. Community capital The City of Surrey has been “I probably come here more projects coming in than I used to,” he says, noting the a strong financial supporter of the next six years new branch, being designed with tthe new library, committing $16 million to the project, while the social engagement in mind, will m be more conducive to meeting up pprovincial and federal governments have contributed $10 million each. for a chat. h “The new City Centre library will Along with surfing, reading and conversation, there will be a place bbe an architectural landmark and a wonderful gathering place for the for all sorts of different activities in w the new library. ccommunity,” said Mayor Dianne Watts. To start with, the already W The library is part of the Build popular English-as-a-SecondSurrey infrastructure program – a Language classes and Lego club S will continue. ccollection of capital projects that There will also be more services, aare to be designed and constructed staff, programs, evening hours and iin the city’s town centres over the next six years (2010-2016). books available to check out. City Centre encompasses an area of The current collection includes 50,000 items, approximately 581 hectares and is bounded by while the new branch will boast double that 112 Avenue to the north, 96 Avenue to the south, amount.
Going to town:
132 Street to the west and 140 Street to the east. Since 1991, Surrey planners have aimed to develop City Centre into a regional “downtown,” and make it the main business, cultural and social hub for the city and the South Fraser region. The library will be the initial building in the first phase of the City Centre development, which will later include a new city hall, a performing arts centre and plaza that can welcome up to 5,000 people. With an eye to the future, the construction in the growing cosmopolitan centre is beginning with the iconic library as the focal point of downtown Surrey. “It’s going to be like no library you’ve ever seen,” Bhogal says, looking out her corner office window at the construction site already dwarfing the little Whalley library. “It will just be this huge, beautiful space that everyone can access.”
Other projects on the go: Q Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre (completed) – the centre, at 13458 107A Ave., officially opened on May 15, 2010. It was initially built as a Games Preparation Centre, an official venue to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Following the Games, the building was re-opened to the public as a 20,000-sq.-ft. recreation centre featuring a
gymnasium (named after Joe Burns), a youth lounge, preschool area and multi-purpose space.
Q Covered youth park (completion 2010) – to be constructed in Tom Binnie Park next door to the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre to provide additional opportunities for outdoor recreational activities for youth. Q Underground parking facility (2010-2013) – will provide parking for the new library and city hall projects and will have capacity to support additional private sector development in the City Centre area as well. Q New city hall (2012-2013) – Surrey’s new municipal centre is currently being designed and will be approximately 165,000 square feet. Q Civic plaza (2012-2013) – a large outdoor plaza will be built adjacent to city hall and the library that will serve as a gathering place for large civic celebrations and other outdoor events. Q Performing arts centre (to be announced) – a regional scale performing arts centre will provide a venue for world-class performances. The centre will include a 1,600-seat flexible theatre and a 250-seat studio theatre.
Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
focus on the future
All hands on DEC Surrey schools staff and online learners will occupy new District Education Centre by Sheila Reynolds
I
t was more than 20 years ago when it was first identified as a need in the Surrey School District: a new administration building. At that time, the school board of the day simply wanted government help to pay for a building to house the increasing number of staff members in the rapidly growing district. But the project was never approved for funding and was shelved year after year while local enrolment ballooned and other funding priorities took hold. Since then, the district has been forced to lease several other buildings – space that simply isn’t available at the inadequate board of education building located across from city hall on 56 Avenue near 144 Street. Surrey, the largest school district in B.C., currently has a 50-year-old main office of just 18,000 square feet., compared to the 103,000-sq-ft. building the Vancouver Board of Education occupies. Surrey school administrative staff are now spread among 10 different buildings all over the sprawling city – and the district spends more than $1 million per year in lease and energy costs alone on those various sites. Next year, however, the district’s dream of opening a single, efficient, environmentally sound facility that will house hundreds of staff members and provide space for educational programs and meetings, will finally come to fruition. “I never thought I’d live long enough to see this day,” said Surrey Board of Education chair Laurae McNally, who was a trustee when the concept of a new board office was first floated in the mid-1980s. The new District Education Centre (DEC), located at 92 Avenue and 140 Street, is scheduled to be complete by the end of December, with staff members moving in
during phases over the first four to eight months in 2011. The four-storey building will house about 475 staff members, and will also have space for Grade 10-12 students in the Surrey Connect distributed learning program. The $40-million building is being funded without provincial government help, by way of district-generated funds such as facility rentals and international student fees. While the cost is significant, the district estimates it will save about $1.5 million annually by consolidating staff and services in one location As a bonus, DEC is not only environmentally friendly in that staff won’t have to drive between all the various sites, but the facility is being built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold standard. The building has geothermal heating, drawing and circulating heat from the earth, and numerous thermal glass windows and skylights for natural light. “Nobody will be happier than me when DEC opens,” said McNally, noting money will be freed up for kids and classrooms, and communication amongst administrators will be greatly improved. Second and third phases are planned at the DEC site eventually, but the timing of those additions are dependent on a number of factors, including the sale of the current districtowned land.
Moving on up Q Current Surrey education office: 18,000 square feet. Q Vancouver board office: 103,000 square feet. Q New Surrey education centre: 150,000 square feet. Q Employees from 10 separate offices throughout Surrey will be consolidated at the new District Education Centre. Q The $40-million building is being paid for by the school district, without any funding from the provincial government.
Evan Seal photo
Surrey Board of Education chair Laurae McNally is looking forward to moving into new office space at 92 Avenue and 140 Street. Currently, school administration staff are spread among 10 different buildings throughout the city.
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Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
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focus on the future
Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
Easy but pricey ride coming Welcome to the city of toll bridges by Jeff Nagel
C
ongestion at Surrey’s Highway 1 interchanges – particularly up 152 Street near Guildford – should be much less frequent come 2015. The new 10-lane Port Mann Bridge will be open by then and a proposed new six-lane Pattullo Bridge may be up as well. The two rebuilt spans, coupled with the so far under-used Golden Ears Bridge, will assure much easier access from North Surrey over the Fraser River – at least for those willing to pay. The Port Mann crossing will be electronically tolled and the expectation so far is the new Pattullo will be as well. That’s fed concerns that the gridlock near the freeway may simply shift downriver as drivers who don’t want to pay at the three toll bridges divert as far away as the Alex Fraser Bridge for a free crossing. “This is a significant issue for us,” Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts said. “We’re paying tolls to get across the bridges and no other Mayor Dianne Watts bridges are tolled in the region. “If people want to get around it, they’ll go down to the Alex Fraser to get a free alternative. That exacerbates the problem and doesn’t accomplish the overall goal of reducing traffic congestion and getting us out of cars.” Victoria Transportation Policy Institute analyst Todd Litman says Surrey residents are rightly angered tolls are being applied only here, and not broadly across the region. “You’re reducing congestion on the highways, but you’re going to have worse traffic congestion on the surface streets.” He said the root problem is the province’s “unfair and inefficient” policy of tolling only major new infrastructure, not existing bridges or corridors.
“We’re paying tolls to get across the bridges and no other bridges are tolled in the region.”
see Highway on PAGE 15 .......................................................................................
Evan Seal photo
Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts, with the construction of the new Port Mann Bridge behind her, wants to see tolls throughout the region.
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Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
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Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
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Highway: no more trucks on River Road continued from PAGE 13 ..............................................................................................................
prevail over the Port Mann for much of the day except for peak periods of 90 minutes to two hours and during major entertainment events – similar to bridges elsewhere in the region. Tolls or other mechanisms – from higher parking prices to distance-based insurance – should be Commuters over the bridge should save 30 minutes to an hour of travel time each day, she said. applied region-wide to help raise money for needed transit expansion and to control An entirely new transit option will also be available when the bridge opens. congestion, Litman argues. RapidBus service is promised to run from 202 Street in Langley to Lougheed Australian planners were recently taken by surprise when a new Station in Burnaby, making a stop near 156 Street in Surrey. toll tunnel built to bypass congestion in Brisbane ended up with Frequent service every 10 to 15 minutes is planned at peak times and the far fewer users than expected – in part because GPS guidance full run from Langley to Lougheed is estimated at 25 minutes. systems used by many Australians alert them to the Big transportation gains are also projected with the opening of the approaching toll and guide users to a free alternative. South Fraser Perimeter Road (SFPR). But Gateway Program spokesperson Pamela Ryan The 40-kilometre highway linking Deltaport to Highway 1 and rejects the premise many motorists will flee the the Golden Ears Bridge is expected to be fully open by the end of Highway 1 corridor to avoid tolls. 2013, with the Surrey portion of the corridor opening by late “There may be those who decide to avoid the Port 2012. Mann Bridge and take another crossing, but there “You will be able to drive from the Tsawwassen ferry are others who are already taking those other terminal to Highway 1 in about 20 minutes,” predicts crossings [to avoid Highway 1 congestion] who Gateway Program executive director Geoff Freer. would gladly taken an improved and tolled Port Thirty minutes will get ferry traffic to Maple Ridge via the Mann Bridge,” she said. Golden Ears Bridge, he says. Modelling shows Port Mann tolls will have Freer also expects plenty of Delta residents will use the minimal impacts on traffic flows over other SFPR to park at Scott Road Station to board SkyTrain bridges, such as the Pattullo and Alex Fraser. rather than driving through the Highway 99 tunnel and The current number of 130,000 vehicles crossing across Richmond to reach the Canada Line. the Port Mann each day is expected to rise to Eliminating trucks and most other traffic from River 140,000 after opening day. Road should also mean much less congestion there, as That’s in contrast with the experience at the well as more reliable TransLink bus service. Golden Ears Bridge, where initial use was weak after Highway 99 will also be friendlier to buses — HOV/bus tolls kicked in. lanes that run through Richmond and part of Delta will Ryan says Golden Ears depended on drumming up be extended the rest of the way to South Surrey by next new users, which is not a problem at the Port Mann, spring. (The newest leg will be bus-only westbound from particularly with rapid population growth expected in King George Boulevard to the Highway 91 interchange). the Surrey and Coquitlam areas. Improvements to ease rail shipments along the Two lanes are dedicated for local use only, Roberts Bank corridor should also reduce delays for effectively acting like a separate bridge directly some motorists. An overpass at 152 Street just south of linking Surrey to Coquitlam/Port Coquitlam. Highway 10, for example, will speed vehicles over trains, Tolls will be applied as soon as the new bridge ending one source of local congestion. The South Fraser Perimeter Road – a 40-kilometre highway linking Deltaport to opens in late 2012, even though only eight lanes of the 10 lanes will be open for the first several months. Highway 1 and the Golden Ears Bridge – is expected to be fully open by the end see Transit on PAGE 17 .......................................... Ryan said relatively free-flowing conditions should of 2013.
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focus on the future
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Road work Q Port Mann/Highway 1 Project $2.46 billion ($3.1 billion including financing): New 10-lane bridge. Lanes doubled on 37 kilometres of freeway widening. HOV lanes through Surrey as far as 200 Street in Langley. Direct connect local lanes dedicated for traffic between Surrey and Coquitlam/Port Coquitlam. Multiple new or rebuilt interchanges. Bridge tolls: $2.85 base ($5.15 if not paid within two days). Q South Fraser Perimeter Road $1.2 billion: 40-kilometre four-lane highway along the south bank of the Fraser River. Connects Deltaport, Fraser Surrey Docks and riverside industrial areas to Highways 1, 17 and the Golden Ears Bridge. Evan Seal photo
Bus rides will become a lot more high-tech in the coming years, with on-board wifi and digital displays at transit stops.
Transit: upgrades on the way continued from PAGE 15 .............................. For residents hoping public transit will offer a real alternative to driving, the jury is still out. Within Surrey itself, a SkyTrain extension to Langley could be under construction if not built by 2020, although it could be much longer if TransLink’s funding tribulations continue. Alternate scenarios that could be cheaper and therefore faster to build include using light rail or bus rapid transit (BRT) technology to build new lines down Fraser Highway to Langley, down King George Boulevard to White Rock and to link Guildford to City Centre via 104 Avenue. Nor have advocates given up hope for a light rail service on the old Interurban rail corridor, from Scott Road station through Newton and Cloverdale to Langley and beyond. A major bolstering of the frequent transit network now taking shape, which promises bus service at least every 15 minutes on a growing mesh of corridors, will go a long way to transforming Surrey, predicts SFU City Program Director Gordon Price. “Having a range of choices integrated into a seamless network offering frequent service – that’s where change comes,” he said. Besides the transportation options themselves – and barring a super-spike in oil prices – much of how we move in the future will depend on how and where we live. Surrey City Centre’s emergence as a dense centre with attractive amenities and a growing
university will play a critical role, Price said. “You’ll see more of an urban place emerge – especially once you add a couple thousand young people who don’t operate on the same assumption that they’re all going to drive.” That, he said, could counterbalance the risk that the Gateway road expansions will intensify sprawl and “lock Surrey and Langley into another decade of car dependence.”
Beyond our borders It’s tempting to look at Surrey in isolation, but transit and transportation improvements elsewhere in the Lower Mainland will have a huge impact on local residents. Rapid transit upgrades elsewhere will make TransLink’s system more usable and attractive to Surrey residents by 2015 – just as the opening of the Canada Line did last year. The Evergreen Line should be up and running, connecting Burnaby’s Lougheed Station to Port Moody and Coquitlam by then – opening up new areas that are accessible via SkyTrain. And plans are being laid to double the capacity of SkyTrain’s Expo Line, easing congestion on the Surrey-New WestminsterBurnaby-Vancouver route. Extending high-quality transit further east into the Fraser Valley is arguably as
Surrey, a Leader in Investment Surrey is leading the way in Provincial investment. From the expanding Port Mann Bridge to the Surrey Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre to the 12 new Surrey classrooms for full-day kindergarten, our expansion is hard to ignore.
important to Surrey as it is to the Langley, Abbotsford and Chilliwack residents who would be served. That’s because a rapid transit line reaching far to the east could take thousands of Valley motorists off Surrey streets who now have to drive in or through this city because they have no viable transit alternative. It would also cement the future of Surrey’s City Centre as the region’s second Metro downtown, because new lines would converge there and act as a pipeline for workers, shoppers and students.
Stephanie Cadieux
MLA for Surrey–Panorama
Phone: 604.574.5662 Twitter: twitter.com/MLACadieux
www.stephaniecadieuxmla.bc.ca
Q Transit upgrades: Highway 1 RapidBus service between north Surrey/Langley and Lougheed Station in Burnaby to come with new Port Mann Bridge. New SkyTrain, light rail or bus rapid transit lines under consideration to link Surrey City Centre to Langley, Guildford and South Surrey/White Rock. Costs and timing undetermined, routes and technologies to be chosen in 2011.
Tech on transit The future looks a lot smarter for transit users. Smart cards may allow you to pay for a short hop on a bus – maybe also even a taxi. Your cellphone will tell you exactly how long it will be before the next bus arrives at your stop – if the stop itself doesn’t have a digital display counting down the time to the next bus. And amenities like on-board wifi could someday make a train or bus ride more productive. The trip may even be shorter – thanks to the bus driver’s ability to remotely hold a green light until the bus gets through and make use of dedicated bus-only freeway on-ramps to bypass congestion.
The replacement span for the Pattullo Bridge will likely be tolled.
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Q New Pattullo Bridge $1 billion (estimated): Six-lane bridge built to modern standards, ending hazards of 75-year-old span. Likely to be tolled barring another financing mechanism.
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Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
Animal shelter to help humans, too New Surrey centre will offer pet-friendly services and therapeutic work for homeless people by Marelle Reid
A
homeless woman hunkers down for the night in a makeshift tent somewhere in Surrey. It’s November, and it’s cold. There’s a shelter nearby where a warm bed and a hot meal could be hers, but she’s trading both for something more important: a 14-year old Rottweilershepherd cross curled up beside her. The two of them have been together since the dog was a pup. He is her loyal companion, her protector, the one constant in her life, and she is not willing to abandon him. Peter Fedos, program manager of Hyland House, a 35-bed emergency shelter for homeless men and women in Cloverdale, sympathizes. “How can you expect someone like that to leave their dog somewhere else and not have him with them?” he asks. “It makes it more difficult to accommodate someone who’s not willing to part with their animal. We slowly became aware, while providing homeless services, how big a need there is for people that actually need sheltering with their pets.” Since 1993, Fedos has been working with Options Surrey Community Services, helping O iindividuals who are homeless or who are cconsidered at risk of becoming homeless in Surrey. S At Hyland House on Colebrook Road, there is aalso a 20-unit supported housing component Community capital aavailable for transition and second-stage housing, projects coming in aas well as personal development programming, the next six years ssuch as employment, accommodation and ccommunity integration. During a cold weather crisis, Hyland House can aaccommodate an additional 15 emergency beds. There are no animals allowed in the building (other than assistance dogs), but the problem will ssoon be solved, since the city is planning to build a 9,000-sq.-ft. state-of-the-art animal shelter close bby. People staying at the shelter will be able to kkeep their animals in a newly added pet area at Hyland House and will also have an opportunity H tto volunteer at the city-run animal shelter. There is a garden at Hyland House where residents do landscape work and tend to the plants. With a variety of work to do with animals as well, the activity can be a form of therapy for those who stay at the homeless shelter, Fedos said. Mayor Diane Watts said this setup – a homeless shelter in a rural area where therapeutic farm work and pet-friendly accommodation is available – is unique in the Lower Mainland. “We’ll have a program set up where they can volunteer, learn about animals, learn about grooming, because we’ll also have horses there as well.”
Going to town:
Evan Seal photo
Peter Fedos and friend at the site of a new 9,000-sq.-ft. animal shelter on Colebrook Road. Fedos, a program manager for Hyland House, a shelter for people, says his shelter will work closely with the petfriendly centre.
Cloverdale “At Kwantlen Polytechnic College, just down the road, they have a farrier program, so there’s a lot of synergy there. So there’s the capability to have farming and horticulture and farrier, dog grooming – all of those things.” The new animal shelter will be taking over the one currently being managed by the Surrey SPCA on 152 Street. While the SPCA will still oversee cruelty cases, the city-run centre will offer veterinary services and animal control officers will be based there to deal with strays, licensing issues and other animal management concerns. Specific details of the building have yet to be determined, but the budget is in place, said Watts, and Chernoff Thompson Architects have been retained to design the centre. The Vancouver-based firm has designed several other animal care facilities, including the 4,800-sq.-ft. building owned and operated by the City of Coquitlam. That structure includes an area for volunteers, clerical and manager offices, space for bylaw officers, a treatment room, an animal wash and food storage areas.
Designers took care to provide an attractive space for visitors to maximize animal adoption rates. Watts said it will be important to ensure that the Surrey animal shelter also have the same variety of amenities, including a large cat room and space for enough kennels. Knowing their pets are being cared for while they attend to their own needs will be a big step in the right direction for homeless people in Surrey. “That relationship with animals is a key relationship,” says Watts. “We’ve seen the research.”
Other projects on the go: Q New Cloverdale recreation centre
(completion 2010-2011)– 65,000-sq.-ft. centre will include three gymnasiums, multi-purpose rooms, a fitness facility and seniors’ space. The centre is being constructed on the east side of 176 Street at 62A Avenue, adjacent to the Cloverdale Fairgrounds.
Q Cloverdale Greenway trails and North Creek Bridge (2010-2011) – pedestrian and cycling trails and a new bridge across North Creek will be constructed to accommodate growing demand for recreational opportunities in Cloverdale. Q Clayton Park improvements (2012-2013) – new amenities will be added to this park to meet growing demand.
Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
focus on the future
Surrey Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre ( located at the corner of 140th Street and Fraser Highway, Surrey )
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The Surrey Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre will: > Increase health care capacity in Surrey, throughout Fraser Health and beyond; > Offer a full spectrum of health care services including day surgery and surgical procedures, diagnostic tests and a variety of health clinics and programs; and > Provide scheduled medical care and treatments that do not require an overnight stay in a hospital.
we’re getting even better For more information visit: www.fraserhealth.ca
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Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
Fleetwood Jamie Allen, president of the Surrey Minor Hockey Association, at the Surrey Sports and Leisure Complex in Fleetwood. The recreation centre will be home to a fourth sheet of ice by 2016. Evan Seal photo
Ice: A hot commodity in Surrey More than 2,500 players in minor hockey jostle for available rink time by Marelle Reid
L
ike many kids in Surrey, Jamie Allen grew up playing hockey. Ever since his dad took him to the local arena and tied a pair of skates on his feet for the first time, he’s loved the sport. “It’s a pretty exhilarating feeling,” he said. “It’s like riding a bike. You throw on your skates, you get out there and the wind’s blowing in your face and it’s just nice and fresh.” Today, Allen is the president of the Surrey Minor Hockey Association. Although he only gets out for a game about once a year now, he’s still passionate about being on the ice. And he’s not the only one who feels this way. Whether it’s a wobbly line of four-year-olds barely able to stand or a team of top players flying along the boards, the number of people wanting time at one of the eight ice rinks in Surrey is huge – and growing. There are more than 2,500 players on 61 teams between the ages of four and 20 registered for minor hockey in this town. Players in high school get up before the sun to practise their shots while their bleary-eyed parents watch from the stands. Adult teams gratefully accept 11 p.m. weekday game times because there’s just no other slots available. Then, of course, there are the recreational players, men’s and women’s teams and figure skaters wanting to hit the ice, not to mention the droves of residents who just w ant some public skate time to fool around with friends on the weekend. In an effort to keep up with the demand, the City of Surrey has set aside part of the Build Surrey Program’s budget for another sheet of ice to be installed at the Surrey Sports and
Considering there are increasing numbers of parents Leisure Complex by 2016. wanting their kids to play, it’s clear there won’t be a moment Having four rinks in the same building will be convenient when the new rink won’t have at least one pair of skates for residents, be better for hosting tournaments, and will carving it up. It just makes sense to give the opportunity for be more efficient in terms of keeping equipment and staff every kid to play, whether or not they’ll make it together under one roof, said Laurie Cavan, general manager of parks and recreation. tto the NHL, said Allen, who understands the joy For hockey especially, which has the greatest oof getting in on the game. “I had one young fellow one year that was demand in terms of number of users, more ice means more playing time. pplaying when I was coaching down at a lower “It’s definitely a positive,” said Allen. llevel. This young guy, he couldn’t skate very well, but I would skate over to him and I would “Whenever you’re putting stuff together for w Community capital the kids, no matter how small you feel it is, it’s llook down at him when he fell down and he projects coming in had the biggest smile on his face you could ever still a big part.” h the next six years Allen believes the city’s support for hockey iimagine. “And he wasn’t very good, but he just loved to will benefit residents in many ways. Not just because hockey is fun, but because bbe there. He stayed for years, and he never did of the character-building qualities of the sport. aactually get very good at the game, but he never Hockey kids spend time learning teamwork, qquit smiling. So, it’s kind of cool when you see maintaining good fitness, and building their tthat kind of stuff.” self-esteem – which makes for contributing, upstanding citizens, he said. Having coached for many years, and seeing his own son, now 18, stay dedicated to the game, Allen is confident more ice is needed. With the Winter Olympics earlier this Q Seniors’ park (completion 2010) – The year, there was a big jump in the number of new n community park offers specialized outdoor children ages four to seven registering for recreation equipment and activities for seniors. hockey Whenever the Vancouver Canucks get into in the NHL Q New gymnasiums (2013-2014) – A pair of gyms will playoffs, Surrey Minor Hockey sees a big spike in registration be added to the Fleetwood Recreation Centre to allow for a the next season. broader range of activities to be offered in the community.
Going to town:
Other projects on tthe go:
Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
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Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
Facing the future Surrey In the year 2030, the city will be bigger, taller and better – maybe by Dan Ferguson
I
n 2030, Eric Basran will be 32 years old.
The city the Surrey resident grew up in will be a very different community from the municipality in transition he will remember as a 12-year-old living here in 2010. Whether the Surrey of the future is simply a bigger version of its current self or something better is a matter that is being decided right now. If all goes well, the grown-up Eric could be living in a Surrey that has remade itself into a Vancouver-style pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly mix of high-density buildings served by an expanded transit system. In this scenario, the attempt by planners in 2010 to create a vibrant City Centre in Whalley has succeeded. Among the people who pulled it off are the same developers responsible for the makeover of the old Expo ‘86 site next to Vancouver’s Yaletown district who brought their expertise to the reinvention of downtown Surrey.
Living, working and shopping in Surrey In North Surrey, 20 years from now, the patchwork of old and new, mostly low-rise buildings and aging single-family homes will be largely gone. Tall residential complexes will rise above a colourful street-level parade of retail stores, public parks and other amenities. The grown-up Eric will be able to leave his car at home most days, walking or biking to nearby destinations. He won’t need to hop SkyTrain across the river into Vancouver because he will have been able to find work in his hometown. SkyTrain will have been expanded, with new lines bringing in people from all directions. There will be a larger number of people commuting from Vancouver to new offices in Surrey, reversing the traditional ebb and flow of commuter traffic. If a Surrey resident does need to drive, he or she will have the choice of two new bridges, the Port Mann and the Pattullo, which will be able to handle a surge of new-technology transportation. Vehicles will be powered by gas, diesel, electricity or hydrogen in 2030, but they will still need lanes and places to park. But the bad old days of semi-trailer trucks jousting with smaller cars and trucks on congested streets will be just a memory, with the bulk of the trucks discreetly directed on to their own route: the South Fraser Perimeter Road.
Official bird? The construction crane Business will be booming. Surrey Board of Trade meetings will be bigger and the carpets at the new board offices will be plusher. When people tell jokes about Surrey, it will be about the rapid pace of growth and development. Much like Calgary, some will say the city’s official bird has become the construction crane. If you don’t like the view, wait a week, others will say -- someone will build something there. Older residents will bore the young by muttering about the way things used to be. That fancy highrise? It used to be a secondhand store. Those new riverfront residences? Former auto wrecking yards. And don’t get them started on the changes to the annual Cloverdale fair, which like many local celebrations, has grown bigger and better. The kids will shrug and wait for the conversation to return to something they care about, such as tech toys. The shiny new City of Surrey will be better adapted to whatever unexpected technological changes are waiting in the wings. If The Surrey-North Delta Leader turns 100 (in 2029) at a time when newspapers are read using disposable electronic reading devices, bandwidth will be required. A lot of it. And if we are going to have helpful but ironic computer assistants with personalities of the kind described in William Gibson science fiction novels, a lot of infrastructure is going to be needed to accommodate the vast electronic pipelines they will require. Some of the changes in tomorrow’s Surrey will be low-tech but no less dramatic. New boulevards that were once modest patches of lawn dotted with small bushes and new trees will be overshadowed by towering greenery that will cement the Surrey reputation as a city of parks. “Living walls” of greenery will form vertical gardens on highrises, and green rooftops Some things will be preserved. Thanks to a regional focus on preserving greenways and parks, it will still be possible to witness a deer wandering through a North Surrey neighbourhood. Raccoons will still be raiding backyard gardens. And every time the Canucks get within a whisker of making the playoffs, no one will be able to move around 72 Avenue and Scott Road for hours after the game. There will be shouting flagwavers of all ages. Other things will be added to the city scene. Police on horseback will be on patrol. see Future on PAGE 25 ..................
Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
focus on the future
Photo illustration by Paula Carlson and Evan Seal
What kind of a Surrey will Eric Basran, 12, see 20 years from now, when he’s 32 years old? The answer lies in planning decisions that are being made right now.
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Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
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Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
Future: more cosmopolitan
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Surrey catching up to Vancouver
continued from PAGE 23 ........................................................................................................................................................................................ The city will be even more cosmopolitan and multicultural than it is now. Cricket pitches and kabbadi fields will share space with baseball diamonds and soccer fields. Signs in Punjabi script will be as common and unremarkable as Chinese characters are in Richmond and Vancouver. Vancouver residents in search of the finest in South Asian cuisine, music and fashion will make pilgrimages to Surrey. Unlike the rest of an aging Canada, Surrey will have a higher percentage of young people, many of them secondgeneration residents whose parents, like the B.C.-born Eric, came here from somewhere else. And the seeds for this reinvented city South of the Fraser will have been sowed several decades earlier, when planners made decisions about the best way to shape growth.
Or more urban sprawl?
Photo illustration by Paula Carlson and Evan Seal
Tomorrow’s citizens of Surrey will face a city that is even more multicultural than it is now.
That’s the positive view, that today’s best-laid plans did not go astray. Surrey could instead be a failed attempt of renewal that mirrors portions of Calgary, another community recently transformed by booming growth. For a long time, there were gaps in the downtown area where planners of the Alberta city aimed too high – sweeping residential development proposals that demolished blocks of old homes for new highrises that were never built. They ended up as parking lots. In that scenario, Eric may be forced to move away from a community that tried and failed to get a grip on growth, that became an untidy sprawl of strip malls and townhouse projects, a city with no heart. It will be remembered as the failure of an ambitious attempt at remaking a former suburban bedroom commuter community into something so much more. Will Surrey succeed or fail? We’ll find out.
Q Between now and 2041, provincial government projections show the rate of population growth in Surrey will be more than double that of Vancouver. Surrey will grow by 327,000 while the population of Vancouver will grow by 138,800 people. Surrey will make up more than half the projected total growth in Metro Vancouver over the next three decades. Q By 2041, Surrey will be as big as Vancouver in terms of population, with each city home to an estimated 740,000 people. But the cities will be different in nature. Q On average, Surrey residents will be more likely to share accommodation than their Vancouver counterparts. Surrey will have 285,200 dwelling units compared to Vancouver’s projected 339,500. Q Long-range regional plans call for Surrey to become the centre of urban activity on the south side of the Fraser river, equivalent to Vancouver, with a concentration of rapid transit, large scale employment, medium and high density housing and high quality, accessible walking and cycling environments.
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Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
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Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
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The RCMP... or something else? Provincial negotiations could change the face of policing in Surrey by Dan Ferguson
B
y the time it’s completed in 2013, the new B.C. headquarters for the RCMP in Surrey could instead be the home of a revived British Columbia Provincial Police (BCPP). The $966-million 76,162-squaremetre facility at the Green Timbers site in the 14200 block of 96 Avenue is intended to house more than 2,700 RCMP E Division Headquarters personnel. But it could as easily accommodate a revived BCPP. That will only happen if negotiations between the province and the Mounties don’t produce a new policing contract by the time the current agreement expires in 2012. Among the issues that have to be sorted out, accountability is near the top of the list. Critics complain the federal police force doesn’t have the kind of direct, local civilian oversight that municipal police forces like those in Delta and Vancouver do. B.C. Solicitor General Mike de Jong says oversight has been a big concern in contract negotiations, but he also says most B.C. residents have told the provincial government
Boaz Joseph photo
Mounties perform in the Musical Ride. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has held the B.C. contract since 1950. The current agreement expires in 2012.
they want the province to maintain its relationship with the RCMP. Failure of the contract talks and the resulting resurrection of a provincial police force would represent a historic reversal. It’s been 60 years since an abrupt and controversial decision by the Liberal-Conservative coalition government in Victoria closed down the BCPP and turned provincial policing over to the RCMP. There were howls of outrage from the municipalities that employed the BCPP because they were not consulted. Supporters of the switch argued the BCPP was poorly run and prone to corruption, while opponents said it was a desperate attempt by the embattled coalition government to save money on policing so cash could be funnelled into pre-election public works spending. At the time, the BCPP had a longer history than the RCM, beginning with its formation in November 1858 at Fort Langley, 15 years before the Mounties’ force took shape. The RCMP has held the B.C. contract ever since, one that includes Surrey, home of the largest RCMP detachment in Canada.
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Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
RCMP E Division goes green Mounties’ new headquarters to be situated near Green Timbers Urban Forest by Marelle Reid
M
embers of Canada’s police force know what it’s like to move around a lot. Most RCMP officers start work outside their home province and then get assigned to a whole new region at least once more during their careers. Being from Nova Scotia, Supt. Wayne Sutherland knows what that’s all about. He lived back east for several years before coming to B.C. in 2004. “I was stationed in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and the next day I was in stationed in Surrey, so I know what it’s like to go from one side to the other.” In 2007, Sutherland was moved to RCMP headquarters in Vancouver to become director of major capital projects. His job for the past three years has been to oversee the big RCMP E Division headquarters move to its new site in Surrey. Right now, there are employees and Mounties occupying 25 different offices around the Lower Mainland. The current buildings are overcrowded, inconveniently located, and too spread out – it’s time to bring everyone together in one place, Sutherland said. By 2013, the RCMP’s new 249,888sq,-ft. complex, which includes a sevenstorey office building currently under construction at 14200 Green Timbers Way, will be completed.
Photo submitted
Home to 2,700 RCMP employees, the new headquarters for the force’s E Division is to be completed by 2013.
Guildford public partnership with Green Timbers The new headquarters will be home Accommodation Partners. to 2,700 RCMP employees, including PWGSC started three years ago on an members of integrated units, such as the extensive search to find the best location. homicide investigation team. The 14.8-hectare site in Surrey was “The fact that we’re going to amalgamate chosen for its central location in the all our current headquarters locations Lower Mainland, availability in one facility, I think is a great opportunity for oof land space big enough the organization, because tto accommodate the large it allows us to be better bbuilding, and access to major highways. integrated, it allows us to h With Surrey’s long-term give better service, it allows us to be more efficient vvision of growth for the future, Community capital and more effective,” said tthe move is good for police as projects coming in well as the city. Sutherland. w the next six years “I think it’s a great benefit Deputy Commissioner Gary Bass, RCMP chief tto the City of Surrey to have executive for the pacific tthe headquarters here,” said mayor Diane Watts. “We’re the region, concurred. m “A unified headquarters llargest RCMP detachment in facility will allow employees tthe country, so it’s quite fitting and integrated teams to tthat we’ll have the headquarters work toward the common ssituated in Surrey as well.” The official groundgoal of keeping the people and communities in the bbreaking ceremony in May region, British Columbia, oof this year saw the start of and the country, safe,” he tthe construction project that said. “Ultimately, this is ccreated 900 jobs right away, with the potential for more about the RCMP being well w down the road. connected to communities across British The building will meet LEED (Leadership Columbia.” in Energy and Environmental Design) The contract and construction is being Canada gold certification, using the latest handled by Public Works and Government in industry technology and standards. It is Services Canada (PWGSC) as a private-
Going to town:
scheduled to be completed in December of 2012. As part of the project agreement, Green Timbers Accommodation Partners agreed to a fixed price of $966 million to design, build, finance and maintain the facility for 25 years after construction. Sutherland said his fellow RCMP employees are looking forward to moving into and staying at the new location for at least that long. Once they move in, of course, his role there will be over. Though he may be stationed in the new building in a new job with the force, Sutherland could just as likely be off to Ottawa or some other city in Canada. Once again, it might be time for another Mountie to find a new home.
Other projects on the go: Q Fitness facility and gymnasium for Fraser Heights Recreation Centre (completion 2010-2011) – to serve the citizens of the rapidly growing community of Fraser Heights.
Q Outpatient hospital (2011) – the fivelevel, 17,500-square-metre complex at 140 Street and Fraser Highway will provide day surgery and other outpatient services.
Q New artificial turf field at Hjorth Road Park (2012) – this second artificial turf field will provide additional capacity to accommodate growing demand for outdoor field programming. Q New ER and critical care tower at Surrey Memorial Hospital (2013-2014) – When the new emergency department opens at SMH – sometime in 2013 – it will be five times larger than the existing ER and built to handle an expected 101,000 annual patient visits by 2020. The 25,000-square-metre critical care tower, expected to open in 2014, will add 151 beds to the hospital, bringing the total number of beds at SMH to 650. And Fraser Health’s long range vision for expanding the hospital doesn’t end there. Planners envision eventually building a second tower at the site. Q Swimming pool at Guildford Recreation Centre (2013-2015) – will provide increased access to swimming lessons and recreational swimming for residents of the North Surrey area, particularly Guildford and Fraser Heights. The new facility will also complement service being provided by the pools at North Surrey Recreation Centre and Surrey Sport and Leisure Complex.
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Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
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Train waits coming to an end More than $300 million in rail crossing improvements underway by Kevin Diakiw
W
ork has begun this fall that will see an end to traffic jams at train crossings. The $360-million Roberts Bank Rail Corridor Program includes constructing overpasses at most busy railway crossings in Delta, Surrey and Langley. The costs of the program are being shared between the federal government, B.C. Rail, the rail companies and the cities where the construction is taking place. Surrey Coun. Marvin Hunt said the program is great news for commuters who will no longer have to wait for trains, which will soon be double their current lengths. He also noted the city is getting a great bargain because the costs are being split so many ways. About $360 million in improvements along the rail line are coming with a $20-million investment from the city. Sand pre-loading began at 152 Street and Colebrook Road in October. The preload will remain there for two years before construction can begin on the $40-million overpass. In the meantime, a road diversion will allow traffic to flow around the construction site. Overpasses will also be built at 192 Street ($34 million), 54 Avenue ($25 million) and 196 Street ($60 million) and crossing improvements are planned at 168 Street. In Delta, the road bridging is planned for 41B Street ($24 million) and 80 Street (a $19-million overpass to Boundary Bay Airport). Langley will have overpasses built at 64 Avenue at Highway 10 ($51 million) and 232 Street ($25 million). Various other projects are also planned including realignments of Colebrook Road by Panorama Ridge. The projects improve the links serving from the Deltaport Container Terminal and the Westshore Coal Terminal through the B.C. Lower Mainland to the rest of Canada. The work also allows train companies to lengthen trains to 13,000 feet, nearly double their current size. With a planned spur line near Panorama Ridge, train traffic will more easily be able to travel both ways. For more information about the rail improvement program visit http://www. robertsbankrailcorridor.ca
Boaz Joseph photo
Railway overpasses at crossings in Surrey, Delta and Langley will reduce traffic congestion.
rich history. bright future. The new Guildford Town Centre. Vibrant. Contemporary. Engaging. With more than 200,000 square feet of new construction and a total of 1.2 million square feet upon completion, the re-imagined centre will offer an un-paralleled retail mix that’s every bit as diverse and current as the families and communities it serves. Up to 300 stores encourage exploration; a beautiful 1,000 seat foodcourt and outdoor
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Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
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Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
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Projects making Surrey a LEED leader A boon of green buildings have been sprouting up in the city • Creekside Health and Housing Centre -13670 94 Ave. (Jan 2011) • Surrey City Centre Library – 10350 University EED, or Leadership in Energy and EnviDr. (March 2011) ronmental Design, is a globally accepted • Alder Gardens YWCA – 138 Street and 70 Avenue sustainable development rating system, (April 2011) generally used to determine how green a build• SFU Podium 2 expansion – 13450 102 Ave. (April ing is. Although some major private developers 2011) have jumped onboard with LEED, it is recently • Mountain Equipment Co-op Distribution Centre changed provincial law, which institutes that – 13340 76 Ave. (July 2011) all government-funded buildings must be • Surrey Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre – LEED Gold or higher, that has produced a 9750 140 St. (summer 2011) boon of green buildings in Surrey. • SD36 District Education Centre – 14033 92 Ave. Cities around the world like to compare (November 2011) their green credentials based on how many • RCMP E-Division headquarters – Green Timbers LEED-certified buildings are within their (2012) borders. So where does suburban Surrey • SMH Acute Care Tower – 13750 96 Ave rank? Higher than one might assume. (December 2014) According to data from the Canada Green With Vancouver at 111 LEED buildings, and Building Council, Surrey has 24 certified Victoria at 52, Surrey ranks third in the province buildings either completed or under based on the number of LEED buildings. Cities construction. The Surrey Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre is one of 24 buildings certified to LEED behind Surrey include Burnaby at 21, North While the number may seem high, only five Vancouver at 19, Kelowna at 16, Kamloops at 13, of these developments were financed by private (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards in the city. Nanaimo at 11, and Richmond and Maple Ridge tied money. The other 19 are recent government at eight each. projects that had to meet the LEED standard, • Envision Credit Union Newton – 7322 King George Blvd. Nationally, we compare well too. Here are some of the larger such as new schools, the new RCMP headquarters, and the new (November 2007) cities in Canada and their respective LEED-certified buildings: outpatient hospital. • Kwantlen Cloverdale Campus (September 2008) Toronto – 205; Calgary – 125; Montreal – 78; Ottawa – 76; The full list of LEED buildings is as follows: • Ministry of Labour office building – 13650 102 Ave. (2008) Winnipeg – 67; Edmonton – 64; Quebec City – 37; Mississauga – • Semiahmoo Library (January 2004) • Peace Arch Visitor’s Centre (April 2009) 33; Brampton – 22; Halifax – 22; Kitchener – 20; Markham – 20; • Surrey Transfer Station (April 2005) • Frito Lay Distribution Centre – 11811 103A Ave. (April 2009) Kingston – 19; Saskatoon – 18; Vaughan – 16 • Czorny Alzheimer Centre – 16850 66 Ave. (July 2005) • Warehouse and Cold Storage – 2775 190 St. (November 2009) In comparison to the eastern suburban cities, Surrey is pulling • Kwantlen Polytechnic University library expansion – 12666 72 • CityPoint towers - 10777 University Dr. (March 2010) its weight. We are outdone only slightly by Mississauga, but beat Ave. (January 2007) • Woodward Hill Elementary – 6082 142 St (May 2010) out Brampton, Kitchener, Markham, Kingston, and Vaughan. • Kwantlen Administration Building – 12666 72 Ave. (March • Adams Road Elementary – 18228 68 Ave (September 2010) 2007) Paul Hillsdon is a local blogger and creator of civicsurrey.com • Maxxine Wright Centre – 13729 92 Ave (September 2010)
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focus on the future
Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
The Leader Winner of
7
Awards in the Suburban Newspapers of America 2009 editorial competition.
7
Awards at the 2010 B.C. and Yukon Community Newspapers Association (BCYCNA) annual Ma Murray awards.
• First Place, Best Special Section: “The Green Edition” by The Surrey-North
• General Excellence
Delta Leader team
• Best Special Section:
• First Place, Best News Photo: “Mother, Son Killed in Tragic Crash” by Evan Seal
“The Green Edition” and
EY S U R R C US O F IN
009 ER 2 EMB NOV
health
“Surrey in Focus: Health” by The Surrey-North Delta
• First Place, Best Photojournalism:
Leader team
“RCMP Dream Team” by Evan Seal
A city of
• First Place, Best Coverage of Aging Issues/Senior
• Spot News Photo: “Mother,
Citizen Lifestyles: :Future Unclear for 71 Seniors”
Son Killed in Tragic Crash” and
by Kevin Diakiw
“Mobile Internet” by Evan Seal
• Second Place, Best Coverage of Local
growth
mined l of deter handful ed the provincia From a first who lobbi women nt for this city’s to the governme being home to ct in B.C. hospital, care proje to health ed biggest has evolv Surrey medical history, r hub for an a majo er takes become Lead The le, services. the peop look at are ics that in-depth and polit of health care e projects the futur shaping n. in the regio
• Feature Writing: “The Grace of Gatka” by Dan Ferguson
Education/School District Issues: • Historical Writing: “Surrey’s Heritage: Is it History?”
“Great grads” and other stories,
by Kevin Diakiw
by Sheila Reynolds • Third Place (tie), Best Continuing Coverage: “Surrey’s Heritage: Is it history?” by Kevin Diakiw • Runner-Up, Best Video Initiative: http://www.bcdailybuzz.com by the Black Press Digital team
2
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR
Paula Carlson EDITOR
Kevin Diakiw Sheila Reynolds STAFF REPORTER
STAFF REPORTER
Awards in the 2010 Better Newspapers Competition hosted by the Canadian Community Newspapers Association. • Best Editorial Page • Blue Ribbon for General Excellence
award-winning team!
Jeff Nagel
Dan Ferguson
Rick Kupchuk
Evan Seal
Boaz Joseph
STAFF REPORTER
STAFF REPORTER
STAFF REPORTER
PHOTOJOURNALIST
PHOTOJOURNALIST
surreyleader.com Proud to be in your community for over 80 years.
604.575.2744
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Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
33
A game for a growing city Cricket fields coming to meet the demand by Marelle Reid
W
hat’s more popular to watch than hockey and attracts even more players than soccer?
If you’re in Surrey, then the answer is cricket. It’s the second-most popular sport in the world after soccer, and in Surrey the pastime is growing rapidly as immigrants from South Asian countries bring their love of the game here. Inamul Desai, president of the B.C. Mainland Cricket League, has been mad for the sport ever since he first picked up a bat as a kid in western India. There was no cricket field in Surrey when he moved here in 1993, so it wasn’t until he found a pitch to play on and a club to join at age 27 that he took it up again. The first full-field cricket pitch was built in Sullivan Heights Park in 2004. “It was basically a dream come true for me because as a new immigrant I had no language, no sports to play with and nobody to hang out with,” Desai said. “I mean, I had everything in Surrey. I had a good job, I had a family, but I had no sports to play with and I was too old to learn hockey at that point.” Now Desai’s whole family gets out to play at Sullivan Heights every week between May and late August. His brother, Salim Desai, is the president of the Surrey Stars Community capital Cricket Club. projects coming in The entire club, in fact, is made up of the Desais’ extended the next six years family and friends, including nephews, siblings, and in-laws. With a wide fan base, and the ability to bring people from across generations together in Surrey to play and to watch, cricket has been recognized by the city as a sport that needs to be supported. Surrey has the second-highest turnout of registered cricketers in Canada, after Toronto. Of the 29 clubs in B.C., eight are in Surrey, and of 1,500 players in B.C., about 800 of them play here. Of course this means the three cricket fields in town – in Enver Creek, Crescent Beach and Sullivan Heights parks – are well-used. Since cricket is growing as quickly as the population is, new fields need to be built to keep up with the demand from players and clubs. There are seven fields in Vancouver, where many players from Surrey commute for their games and practices. After many consultations with the community, the City of Surrey decided the best place for a new field would be the Newton area. “Newton overall has been growing, so we’re seeing new development coming in, and it’s a really young community,” said Laurie Cavan, general manager of Parks, Recreation and Culture. “Certainly the demand for parks is high, and we like to program them so that there’s something for everyone in the park.”
Going to town:
Evan Seal photo
Inamul Desai, president of the B.C. Mainland Cricket League, says cricket helped him make connections with the community when he came to Canada in 1993.
Newton Other projects on the go: Q New artificial turf field and amenities at Newton Athletic Park (completion 2010-2011) – in partnership with Kwantlen Polytechnic University, a new field and grandstand seating for 500 will be installed, along with lighting for night use, a digital score board and game clock.
Q Annual upgrades to Newton Athletic Park (20102016) – the park will receive more recreational amenities on an annual basis, including volleyball courts, children’s
play area and additional parking spots.
George Boulevard south of 72 Avenue.
Q Main RCMP detachment expansion (2010-2011) – a 35,000-sq.-ft. renovation will create more space for an expanded police force.
Q Police station (20112012) – an RCMP Newton District police station will be built near the new Newton Transit Bus Exchange.
Q Second artificial turf field at Tamanawis Park (2011) – to provide additional field hockey capacity to meet growing demand.
Q Fitness facility at Newton Wave Pool (2012-2013) – a larger, more modern facility will be added.
Q New transit exchange (2011-2012) – the Newton Transit Bus Exchange on 72 Avenue at the north end of the Newton Wave Pool will be relocated to King
Q Surrey Pre-trial Services Centre expansion (2013) – Surrey is partnering with the province to construct an 180cell expansion, along with renovations to the existing facility.
The new West Newton Community Park, to be open by 2013 at the intersection of Highway 10 and 58 Avenue, will include a $3.26-million cricket field as well as other sport courts, a casual lawn area and bike/walking paths. With elementary schools in Surrey starting to include cricket in their sports programs, Cavan said it makes sense to increase access to cricket fields. The new field planned for Newton will give Surrey residents the convenience of staying in town. Preliminary plans to put a regulation pitch in Newton Athletic Park are also being discussed at city hall. It’s all part of the vision for Surrey’s future. Since Surrey has the youngest population in B.C. by a median age of four years, upgraded recreation centres, parks and sports facilities are needed to satisfy the demands of a youthful and energetic demographic. “When we recently did 10-year strategic plans, [we found] those are the things that are really important to the community, that they find really help them have a great quality of life,” said Cavan. Bowlers and batmen in Surrey can therefore look forward to their city growing with their sport in the years to come. With bigger and better facilities, there is also the potential for tourism based around national and even international cricket competition here. Even if the sport wasn’t growing so big in Surrey, Desai knows it’s always going to be a big part of his community. “I will always play or be involved with the team,” he said.
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focus on the future
Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
Surrey’s
Canadian Tire Stores supporting our future! Canadian Tire is proud to do business in the community of Surrey. We make a commitment to this vibrant city to provide support to local organizations as well as through Canadian Tire sponsored initiatives.
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Canadian Tire Stores have created over 400 jobs for Surrey residents. Our stores carry products that every household needs! We carry Environmental Safe products which support City Initiatives and Bylaws. We believe in shopping local. We support Business in surrey, purchasing locally made goods and services right here in our home town. We see the Future in Surrey and proudly continue to share our business with you!
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Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
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Committed to the Future re Growth of Newton-North h Dellta
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part of the Better Business Bureau,” recommends Bernst. “Qualified journeyman electricians are master craftsmen that take pride in their profession – and it shows.” 4. Beware of false bids. “Many customers are duped into believing they are getting a great deal when, in fact, essential services and products have not been included in the quote,” warns Bernst. 5. Ensure the contractor can provide a free written warranty and/or guarantee. “Never hire a contractor that cannot produce a written warranty or guarantee. If there is a problem, a verbal agreement may not hold up.” Bernst and his knowledgeable staff are always happy to answer your electrical questions or find cost effective solutions for all your electrical needs. Large or small, they’ve got your answer. Call them today at 604-725-5400. Based in Surrey, B.C., Crimson Electric Inc. is a fully bonded, insured and registered electrical contracting business specializing in all aspects of residential and commerical construction, including kitchen and bath renovations, basements, additions, outdoor lighting, service panel upgrades, “grow-op” restoration, tenant improvements and communications. Crimson Electric is a proud fiveyear member of the BBB, Surrey Board of Trade and BCECA. For more information, visit www. crimsonelectric.com.
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CASTING CALL!!
The Bell Performing Arts Centre not only survives but thrives due to the dedicated support of our amazing group of volunteers! If you are interested in supporting the Arts in your community, while having a great time and meeting some incredible people, then you have what it takes to become a Bell Performing Arts Centre volunteer! Contact Deb Tait at 604-507-6346 or bellperformingarts_foh@yahoo.ca for more information.
Your audience awaits!
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focus on the future
Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
Making a splash down south City’s fifth indoor public swimming pool on the way for 2013 by Marelle Reid
L
ike an oasis in the middle of the city, the South Surrey Indoor Pool on 17 Avenue is never quiet during opening hours.
From seniors keeping fit to children learning to stay afloat, competitive swimmers and divers slipping silently into the deep end, or just some people looking for a hot tub to relax in, there’s always someone wanting to jump in. There are four indoor public pools in Surrey – in Fleetwood, Newton, North Surrey and South Surrey – but it’s not enough to meet demand. There are too many fish in the pond, so to speak. To answer the demand for more indoor aquatic centres, the City of Surrey is planning to build a fifth indoor public pool in South Surrey by 2013. Though plans are still in the works for budget, location and size, Manager of Community and Recreation services Lisa White says the city is going to meet soon with user groups to determine just what is needed in the new facility. For Brad Dingey, head coach of the Pacific Sea Wolves competitive swim club, a new pool will mean more kids in the water and possibly more medals hanging around their necks. Many Sea Wolves have gone on to national and international competition, but they didn’t get there without practising. Having more swim time is crucial. These days, there are about 100 kids in the club who split their practices between the South Surrey and Fleetwood pools, six days a week. Dingey had to start a wait list for those who want to join because there’s just not enough room for any more. The current South Surrey pool is about 30 years old, and offers a relatively small 37.5 metre, six-lane tank with just two diving boards.
Evan Seal photo
For Brad Dingey, head coach of the Pacific Sea Wolves competitive swim club, a new pool means more kids in the water – and possibly more medals.
South Surrey current diver training. “I’m really With a new pool, which will offer c excited and looking forward to more space and features, Dingey said e hearing about the new pool. I think his club could possibly double in size. h it’s “Most of these new facilities [have] i going to really help our sport.” Though the details are still to 10-lane, 50-metre pools, and they be usually have two of them side by b determined, one thing is clear: Community capital Residents of South Surrey will have side.” R projects coming in another pool in which they can take And it won’t just be swimmers who a the next six years a dip within the next few years. will benefit from a bigger and better Dingey doesn’t know why, but the facility. South Surrey Indoor Pool is one of The White Rock Divers club is also S busiest he’s worked at in his long based out of the South Surrey Indoor b career as a coach. Pool. c “It’s packed all the time,” he said. Head coach Grant Brehaut knows a “If new swimming hole could provide not “ they do get something built down here, my expectation is that it will only more time for practice, but the h be latest in facility requirements for his b very well utilized.” And while added pool space will divers. make it easier for the average Joe Ideally, the new pool will feature m to more deck space for things such as t enjoy the water, if Brehaut and Dingey are right, it also means a mats and trampolines. D better chance for the discovery of “We’re able to better prepare b the next Alexandre Despatie or Michael Phelps – athletes without any more time in the pool and right here in Surrey. just more time on dry land,” he said of the most
Going to town:
Other projects on the go: Q Kensington Prairie Community Centre (completion 2010) – the former Kensington Prairie Elementary School will be converted into a multi-purpose community centre to serve the growing communities of Morgan Creek, Rosemary Heights and Grandview. Q Fitness centre (2010-2011) – a new facility with the latest workout equipment will be added to the South Surrey Recreation Centre. Q Kwomais Point Park renovations (2010-2011) – the Sanford Hall and Kwomais Lodge buildings will be updated to provide new pace for recreational activities. Q New fire hall (2010-2011) – Grandview’s volunteer fire hall will be replaced with a new “full-time” hall, providing enhanced service to south Cloverdale, Grandview Heights, Hazelmere Valley, Douglas Heights and Campbell Heights. Q Community arts space (2015) – an addition to the South Surrey Recreation Centre will provide arts-related programming space to serve the active and growing arts community.
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Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
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38
focus on the future
Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
Historical photo courtesy Surrey Archives; current photo by Evan Seal
Then and now
Green Timbers forest, as it was in the early 1900s (left) and today.
Despite the recent growth and future projects planned for Surrey, some things have stayed remarkably the same over the years
Historical photo courtesy Surrey Archives; current photo by Evan Seal
Historical photo courtesy Surrey Archives; current photo by Evan Seal
A Cloverdale street scene in 1926 (above) and how it looks today.
A Newton gas station during the 1950s (above) and the current station.
Historical photo courtesy Surrey Archives; current photo by Evan Seal
The iconic Round Up Cafe, in the 1950s (top) and in October, 2010.
focus on the future
Wednesday I November 17 2010 I Surrey/North Delta Leader
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focus on our future
Surrey/North Delta Leader I Wednesday I November 17 2010
how can we help you look your best? We use the latest technology to give you great looking teeth in about 1 hour!
We offer Computer Guided Surgery for more accurate and precise placement of Dental Implants.
Eat like you were young again! Specializing in DENTAL IMPLANTS PERMANENT TEETH IN A DAY Did you know? Dental implants can replace dentures and bridges or lost teeth with permanent teeth that feel like real teeth.
I was in a car accident and my jaw was shattered requiring me to have Dental Implants placed in my lower jaw. Dr. Bahi handled the entire process himself. I found the Staff to be very professional. Dr. Bahi was very skilled, kind, caring and compassionate; he also had a nice sense of humour. I found the entire process to be very pleasant.
I am 70 years old. For a long time I had a great deal of dental problems, nothing helped or lasted. From the ¿rst visit I felt comfortable with Dr. Bahi. I knew he had gone to Boston University for his training which made me feel even more comfortable. I had some reservations about my decision to get Dental Implants. Dr. Bahi assured me it was the right decision given my frustration with bridges and dentures in the past.
I would have no reserves recommending Dr. Bahi if you need Dental Implants.
I can now eat like I did when I was 20 years old. I can smile with con¿dence. My friends tell me I look 10 years younger.
Anne Hadley
Thank you, Dr. Bahi! Pasquale Gnocato
Services offered: • Computer Guided Dental Implants • General Anaesthesia • Wisdom Teeth Extraction • BOTOX® Cosmetic • Juvéderm for Lip Enhancement and Wrinkle Fillers • Cheek Implants • Chin Implants
Please visit our website to see a complete list of our services
call for your consultation today
ORAL & COSMETIC FACIAL SURGERY
604.507. 0514 #240 -7337 -120TH STREET, DELTA, BC
W W W. N E O R A L FA C I A L . C O M