News broke over the weekend about a staff report presented to Metro Vancouver which suggested Surrey be put next in line for regional rapid transit, moving the suburban city ahead of Vancouver’s long requested UBC Line. Although the regional federation has previously put both Surrey and Vancouver on the same footing, emphasizing that both extensions were short term priorities, the lack of available funding has changed the position of Johnny Carline, Metro’s Chief Administrative Officer:

“We don’t think we’ll be able to afford full-scale investments in the Evergreen Line, south of the Fraser and UBC all in the life of this plan [Metro's new Regional Growth Strategy 2040] . . . We can’t afford to have investments going out to UBC that take away from investment in the major growth areas . . . That’s where the region is changing the most and that’s where we need transit. It shouldn’t be put off. If we put rapid transit in there, it would put a big impact on the development community on where it wants to go.”

The change in direction reflects Metro’s growing understanding of the issues facing the south Fraser, as well as the tools available to shape development within the region. Despite planning for compact town centres since the 1960′s, urban communities within the region have emerged primarily as a result of SkyTrain investments – the effects most recently seen in the transformations of Brentwood Town Centre and Richmond City Centre. The conclusion being that planning for growth does not dictate its form or timing – only directed public investments through community amenities and rapid transit connections have proven successful. This is a marked admission from regional planners.

Despite the report, Metro Vancouver as an organization has no control over funding decisions made at TransLink. However, the statement is strong and growing uncertainty over the next regional priority will undermine efforts to obtain funding from senior levels of government.

Although Surrey certainly deserves its fair share of transit services, and will require some form of rapid transit before development patterns shift, the case for the UBC Line is strong. Major planning for that route has been underway since the late 1990′s, leaving few decisions left to be made, whereas in Surrey there is no clear decision about where a transit line would go. The Broadway corridor is the second largest centre of employment in the province, behind only Downtown Vancouver, making service there a real priority. Furthermore, increased access to UBC will be a boon to students and faculty from across the region and not just Vancouver. Finally, as the western leg of the Millennium Line, the route is an essential connection to realizing the full capacity of the SkyTrain system. That said, growing discontent from Vancouver’s West Side, as well as Broadway merchants fearing the disruptions that affected Cambie Village, have gone a long way in recent months to disrupt the planned SkyTrain extension.

According to reports, Councillor Judy Villeneuve has stated that Surrey City Council will be visiting Portland in Oregon to examine their transit system which is based around light rail lines.

The multi-year expansion of Fraser Highway will get much closer to completion following the construction of the northern Serpentine bridge, set to begin in August. Fraser Highway crosses the Serpentine River in Cloverdale near 176 St. The entire stretch through the Serpentine Flats has remained two lanes for years, despite the Highway’s four lanes in both Fleetwood and Clayton. This has created rush hour bottlenecks along the route.

The southern bridge was built at the end of last year, and traffic has since been rerouted onto that crossing. The old bridge to the north has been removed and will be rebuilt under a new million dollar contract. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of November. 50% of funding was provided by TransLink, while the remainder is being paid for by the City.

One of the most derelict malls in the region is set to get a long awaited redesign and expansion. Guildford Town Centre, originally built in 1966, first proposed a major retrofit in 2006, but was delayed due to financial restraints brought on back the economy. Now, owners Ivanhoe Cambridge have come back to the table with a revised, less ambitious, two-phased plan that will certainly revitalize the shopping centre and the rest of the community.

Phase 1 of the project includes a brand new 165,000 sq. ft. Wal-Mart SuperCentre (includes a grocery store and garden centre), accessible from one large entrance. The new building will include the iconic pyramid design featured on the rest of the Mall, as well as a massive two-level parkade. The Wal-Mart will have rooftop parking and be attached to the new parkade.

Phase II will include an eastern expansion of the mall, bringing retail closer to 152 St, including a new food court; facade renovations to the entire building, excluding The Bay and London Drugs; redesigned mall entrances; re-oriented surface parking; demolition of the building west of Sears for a new transit loop; and three new stand-alone retail units along 152 St.

The old 2006 plan had included a larger Wal-Mart, as well as a “Village Walk” type lifestyle centre between the eastern edge of the Mall and 152 St, which appears to have been cut.

The new master plan was created by Musson Cattell Mackey Architects, the same firm that designed Morgan Crossing, The Village at Park Royal, and expansions at Willowbrook and Brentwood.

The City asked the owners to incorporate elements of design from the TownShift competition, which emphasized street activation through retail frontage along 152 St. Unfortunately, due to lease constraints with The Bay, no buildings can be erected in front of that section of the Mall. Loss of surface parking was another concern for Ivanhoe Cambridge.

The current mall layout

Phase 1

Phase II

There will be a new pedestrian overpass at 112th Ave, connecting Robin Park on the west with Fraser Heights on the east. The 152nd St overpass will also be rebuilt with a greenway path providing pedestrians and cyclists with a safe and dedicated path across one of the Highway’s busiest interchanges. In addition, a 2km stretch of the Barnston Greenway will be built, travelling roughly parallel to the train tracks from 104 Ave and 176 St to connect with Golden Ears Way.

The new Surrey City Hall will be an important public landmark within the new City Centre, it will be a catalyst for growth in the downtown and it will be an important destination for the citizens of, and visitors to, the City of Surrey.

One of the options that was developed for assessment purposes by Kasian/Moriyama & Teshima Architects. The Gateway Option builds on Surrey as a gateway to Canada and the Pacific and perhaps more importantly a gateway to a prosperous future. Design of the actual City Hall building and Plaza is currently underway. The design presents a strong architectural statement that is powerful and iconic symbolizing a strong and stable government but that is also welcoming, inviting people to witness and participate in the process of government and to enjoy the events and activities of the Civic Plaza.

View Surrey Engineering Plans in a larger map

The plan includes some critical pieces of the network, including the continued four laning of King George Boulevard between Hwy 10 and Hwy 99, as well as the widening of 96 Ave from 152 St to 168 St, a regional road that now connects to the Golden Ears Bridge.

The expansion of 64th Ave, from 177 St to 184 St, will be a much appreciated widening for the residents of Cloverdale, and the expansion of 160 St from 88 Ave to Fraser Hwy will help define Fleetwood Town Centre as it builds out. The continuation of Whalley Boulevard north of Grosvenor Road has been viewed as an essential connection for the City Centre. Meanwhile, as Clayton continues to develop, the 192 St diversion will aid in diffusing traffic in that area.

The plan also includes what is sure to be contentious road expansion to many community members. The last stretch of Fraser Hwy yet to widened to four lanes is the section through Green Timbers, part of which is to be completed in this short term plan (138 St to 96 Ave).

Perhaps even more controversial however is the proposal to fasttrack the extension of 84 Ave through Bear Creek Park. That road extension, brought up numerous times through the years by the Engineering Department, has continuously been turned down by Council due to enormous public outrage. Most recently the road was put on hold in 2009 after extensive campaigning by the community. It appears as though the politicians didn’t hear them.

Civic Surrey has obtained a pre-release copy of the SCDC’s brochure outlining the Surrey Civic Centre Development. The project has been tossed around for years under various names, including Central City II or the new City Hall complex, but it appears as though this may be the final version of the plan.

The full document can be viewed and downloaded at the bottom of the post. Below are the main excerpts from the plan.

UPDATE: The Surrey City Development Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of the City, has posted the brochure on its website.

The City of Surrey is continuing to build the Civic Centre Development Project with a $500 million investment to create a vibrant Surrey City Centre. The Civic Centre Development Project will include a new City Hall and Office building, additional space for Simon Fraser University, and a major civic plaza that will become the heart for Surrey’s outdoor events, celebrations and festivities. It will include a Performing Arts Centre with a 1,600 seat flexible theatre and a 250 seat studio theatre; a new Central Library; and, a mixed use building accommodating Hotel/Office facilities. As a part of creating a great, walkable, enjoyable City Centre, it will include a major beautification of King George Highway and significant upgrades to the current Skytrain Station and Bus Transit Exchange.

Sketch illustrates the overall architectural concept of combining City Hall (right), the Office Tower (centre) and Simon Fraser University (left) in one continuous curvilinear form that wraps around and strongly defines the civic plaza. From this form the tower rises above the Central City building making it the most prominent building in the core and a focus for Surrey. The tower form is organized around a central core and expressed with a cloak of spiraling glass.

The civic plaza will be the heart of Surrey where citizens can gather, meet, enjoy entertainment and celebrate special events. Three of the many potential daytime events could include an open air concert, winter ice skating and a summer fountain display with laser lights and music. There could also be mega-screen showings of special Surrey events and sports. When combined with the existing civic plaza in front of the Central City buildings the total public area could accommodate up to 10,000 people. Such a major public gathering could rely on the temporary closure of 102 Avenue.

The section through City Hall, the Office Tower and Simon Fraser University looking north illustrates: extensive retail will animate the civic plaza; the major City Hall departments are located on levels 2-4 which have the required large floor plates; the lower floors of the Office Tower will have smaller City Hall offices with the upper floors being available for City Hall expansion in the long term and potentially for commercial tenants in the shorter term. The heart of City Hall, the Council Chamber, is prominently located on level 2 at the easterly end of the building. There is a public view terrace and garden at the top of the Office Tower.

This site accommodates the Performing Arts Centre, Central Library and the potential for a Hotel/Office Tower. The site plan is predicated on four principles: locating the Performing Arts Centre furthest away from the noise source of the Skytrain; organizing the major pedestrian access to the Performing Arts Centre and Central Library on axis to the Skytrain Station: locating an entrance plaza that faces south and opens up to City Parkway; strongly defining the edge of City Parkway with built form and locating uses and activities that provide animation and visual interest. All buildings back onto an east-west lane which will provide good service access.

The sketch illustrates the overall architectural concept of combining the Performing Arts Centre and Central Library under one powerful curved floating roof form. The two civic buildings are encapsulated in distinct, transparent and unique curvilinear forms under the roof. The Hotel/Office Tower rises in the background.

The sectional perspective illustrates that the Central Library design concept is organized on one continuous gentle ramp to the top of the building and is wrapped around a central ground level public garden that can be viewed from all interior spaces. The Performing Arts Centre design concept is organized so that the 1,600 seat theatre and 250 seat studio theatre are supported by a common elegant and spacious lobby area and wrapped in a double glazed façade which acoustically protects the interior.

Sketch of King George Highway beautification showing expanded pedestrian sidewalks with a double row of trees and treed median, with potential development lining the streets. A new street beautification plan is proposed to enhance the image of Surrey City Centre and change the perception that King George Highway is not just a truck route. King George Highway should become a ‘boulevard’ with expanded sidewalks, more street trees, new street furniture and improved pedestrian crossings.

Plan illustrating the Skytrain Station with an extended platform to the north, and the Bus Transit Exchange on the east side of City Parkway. The Bus Transit Exchange block has expanded sidewalks for bus travelers and potential for new office development. When the Skytrain Station undergoes an expansion of the platform, the opportunity could arise for a complete redesign of the station.

Future street looking east along the Bus Transit Exchange.

City of Surrey Civic Centre Development Project