Early last year, work began on the 105 Avenue Connector and Hawthorne Park Improvements project. The purpose of the project was to improve connectivity between City Centre and Guildford through a new multi-modal collector road, as well as deliver numerous improvements to Hawthorne Park – including improved accessibility, a new aquatic habitat, and increasing the park’s overall size.

Since then, Phase 1 of the project, including the 105A Connector between Whalley Blvd and 144 Street has mostly completed, with some finishing touches remaining between 139 Street and 140 Street. The new 105A Avenue is a multi-modal corridor featuring 2 vehicle lanes, grade separated bike lanes, sidewalks, boulevards, fencing, and enhanced pedestrian-oriented street lighting. The route offers pedestrians and cyclists a pleasant alternative to 104 Avenue, skirting the edge of Hawthorne Park and continuing west past 140th Street into City Centre.

Below is a small photo tour of the new 105A and park improvements.

Completed phase 1 of 105A Connector project New 105A Ave though Hawthorne Park with sidewalk, bike-lane, and roadway New landscaping and habitat area New sidewalk and bike lane near Aquatic Habitat New pedestrian bridge over aquatic habitat New Aquatic Habitat at Hawthorne Park New Aquatic Habitat in Hawthorne Park New Aquatic Habitat from 105A Ave New 105A Avenue along south edge of Hawthorne Park New 105A Avenue between 139 Street and 140 Street New 105A Avenue between 139 Street and 140 Street

More info on the 105A Connector and Hawthorne Park Improvements Project can be found on the City’s website: https://www.surrey.ca/city-services/22562.aspx

Or take a visit for yourself!

It was misreported this week that hundreds of trees were cut down in Hawthorne Park for light rail transit after drone footage was posted to YouTube showing tree clearing for a new extension of 105A Avenue. The clearing was actually for the 105A Avenue connector project itself – which has been planned for 30 years – and is independent of, and pre-dates the LRT project itself. The new road is however being fast-tracked in advance of LRT, to provide a relief route for traffic once construction begins on 104 Avenue. The road was planned to be constructed regardless of whether LRT, SkyTrain, or no rapid transit was planned at all for 104 Avenue.

In the drone footage and captured images – a large clearing of trees is shown giving the dramatic impression of a clear-cut of the park to make way for the new road (or LRT if you’ve been mislead by headlines). The reality is, this cleared area only represents a small fraction of the park’s vast forested area, and the road itself will only consume a narrow 2-lane wide portion of this, with the remainder to be used for a new aquatic habitat and enhanced environmental area. The cleared area also skirts the edge of undeveloped treed lots to the south – giving the impression of cutting through the middle of the park in this area – when in fact the road runs along the edge of the park.

Captured image from drone footage showing clearing along southern edge of Hawthorne Park. Cleared area in perspective – majority to be used for new aquatic habitat/environmental area. Lands to south are private property outside park designated for future mixed-use.

While the tree clearing for western portions of 105A Avenue does cut more through the park rather than skirt the edge – when put into perspective – this cleared area pales in comparison to the remaining forested lands preserved elsewhere in the park. Further to this – planned expansions of the park, reclaimed green space from relocating the parking lot, and the new aquatic habitat and environmental enhancement area more than offset the impacts of the minor 2-lane collector road that is to be constructed – not to be confused with an arterial road as misreported by the Daily Hive.

105A connector routing through the southern edge of Hawthorne Park in perspective. Vast majority of park to be preserved, expanded, and enhanced. Artist rendering of new 2-lane 105A connector and new aquatic habitat, environmental enhancement area, and future development site south of 105A Avenue outside of Park. Artist rendering of new 2-lane 105A connector along edge of Hawthorne Park and new aquatic habitat, environmental enhancement area, and relocated parking lot/reclaimed green space.

The new 2-lane road (planned for 30 years) will not only add much needed east-west capacity to Surrey’s road network between densifying City Centre and Guildford, but also improve accessibility to Hawthorne Park – better integrating it with its evolving urban context, with new gateway features, pathways, and entrances – which will result in more people using and enjoying the park. Today, it remains a largely hidden, underutilized, rural park from a previous era, that is easy to pass by without recognizing it is even there.

It is important to realize, that a road through a park isn’t the end or destruction of Hawthorne Park or a call for protest, particularly when so much value and improvements will be added to offset the impacts. Many world renowned parks have roads through them, and are doing just fine.

Some examples of great parks with roads through them:

• Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC
• Central Park, New York, USA
• Tiergarten Park, Berlin, Germany
• And the list goes on.. and on.

Hawthorne Park will live on, and emerge even better than before.

For more on the 105A Connector and Hawthorne Park Improvements project:

http://www.surrey.ca/city-services/22562.aspx

Initially announced back in the Fall 0f 2015, the Whalley Legion Veterans Village project took a major step forward today, announcing a partnership with Surrey-based developer Lark Group, to develop twin towers on the site of the existing Whalley Legion at 13525 106 Ave.

As per the news release, the twin tower project of unspecified height will be a multi-purpose facility and a centre of excellence in clinical and rehabilitation services for Veterans and first responders. It will offer a mixture of social and affordable housing, assisted living, a therapeutic centre, community gardens, research centre, and space for the delivery of health care programs and services.

The news release states that the next step in the process is to work with Lark Group to finalize the scope of the project, and it is expected that site preparations and construction could be underway by spring 2017. This timeline seems ambitious given there has yet to be a development application submitted for the project, and given the time necessary to move the application through the approvals process. With Lark Group as the partnering developer however, the project is now very likely to move forward, given Lark Group’s experience in developing large projects in Surrey, most notably the City Centre 1 and City Centre 2 office towers adjacent to Surrey Memorial Hospital.

Aside from being a major redevelopment of the Whalley Legion itself, the iconic twin tower concept for the project designed by Michael Green Architecture could be a catalyst for rejuvenation of the area between 104th Avenue and 108th Avenue. The project is located directly adjacent to Surrey’s notorious 135A “Strip”. So far not many details have been released on the towers themselves, only that the design is conceptual, and that it will be greater than 20 storeys in height. When complete, the facility will be the first of its kind in Canada.

http://www.larkgroup.com/legion-veterans-village-project-takes-a-major-step-forward/

More on the project:

http://www.legionbcyukon.ca/content/canadas-first-veterans-village

Early last year, work began on the 105 Avenue Connector and Hawthorne Park Improvements project. The purpose of the project was to improve connectivity between City Centre and Guildford through a new multi-modal collector road, as well as deliver numerous improvements to Hawthorne Park – including improved accessibility, a new aquatic habitat, and increasing the park’s overall size.

Since then, Phase 1 of the project, including the 105A Connector between Whalley Blvd and 144 Street has mostly completed, with some finishing touches remaining between 139 Street and 140 Street. The new 105A Avenue is a multi-modal corridor featuring 2 vehicle lanes, grade separated bike lanes, sidewalks, boulevards, fencing, and enhanced pedestrian-oriented street lighting. The route offers pedestrians and cyclists a pleasant alternative to 104 Avenue, skirting the edge of Hawthorne Park and continuing west past 140th Street into City Centre.

Below is a small photo tour of the new 105A and park improvements.

Completed phase 1 of 105A Connector project New 105A Ave though Hawthorne Park with sidewalk, bike-lane, and roadway New landscaping and habitat area New sidewalk and bike lane near Aquatic Habitat New pedestrian bridge over aquatic habitat New Aquatic Habitat at Hawthorne Park New Aquatic Habitat in Hawthorne Park New Aquatic Habitat from 105A Ave New 105A Avenue along south edge of Hawthorne Park New 105A Avenue between 139 Street and 140 Street New 105A Avenue between 139 Street and 140 Street

More info on the 105A Connector and Hawthorne Park Improvements Project can be found on the City’s website: https://www.surrey.ca/city-services/22562.aspx

Or take a visit for yourself!

It was misreported this week that hundreds of trees were cut down in Hawthorne Park for light rail transit after drone footage was posted to YouTube showing tree clearing for a new extension of 105A Avenue. The clearing was actually for the 105A Avenue connector project itself – which has been planned for 30 years – and is independent of, and pre-dates the LRT project itself. The new road is however being fast-tracked in advance of LRT, to provide a relief route for traffic once construction begins on 104 Avenue. The road was planned to be constructed regardless of whether LRT, SkyTrain, or no rapid transit was planned at all for 104 Avenue.

In the drone footage and captured images – a large clearing of trees is shown giving the dramatic impression of a clear-cut of the park to make way for the new road (or LRT if you’ve been mislead by headlines). The reality is, this cleared area only represents a small fraction of the park’s vast forested area, and the road itself will only consume a narrow 2-lane wide portion of this, with the remainder to be used for a new aquatic habitat and enhanced environmental area. The cleared area also skirts the edge of undeveloped treed lots to the south – giving the impression of cutting through the middle of the park in this area – when in fact the road runs along the edge of the park.

Captured image from drone footage showing clearing along southern edge of Hawthorne Park. Cleared area in perspective – majority to be used for new aquatic habitat/environmental area. Lands to south are private property outside park designated for future mixed-use.

While the tree clearing for western portions of 105A Avenue does cut more through the park rather than skirt the edge – when put into perspective – this cleared area pales in comparison to the remaining forested lands preserved elsewhere in the park. Further to this – planned expansions of the park, reclaimed green space from relocating the parking lot, and the new aquatic habitat and environmental enhancement area more than offset the impacts of the minor 2-lane collector road that is to be constructed – not to be confused with an arterial road as misreported by the Daily Hive.

105A connector routing through the southern edge of Hawthorne Park in perspective. Vast majority of park to be preserved, expanded, and enhanced. Artist rendering of new 2-lane 105A connector and new aquatic habitat, environmental enhancement area, and future development site south of 105A Avenue outside of Park. Artist rendering of new 2-lane 105A connector along edge of Hawthorne Park and new aquatic habitat, environmental enhancement area, and relocated parking lot/reclaimed green space.

The new 2-lane road (planned for 30 years) will not only add much needed east-west capacity to Surrey’s road network between densifying City Centre and Guildford, but also improve accessibility to Hawthorne Park – better integrating it with its evolving urban context, with new gateway features, pathways, and entrances – which will result in more people using and enjoying the park. Today, it remains a largely hidden, underutilized, rural park from a previous era, that is easy to pass by without recognizing it is even there.

It is important to realize, that a road through a park isn’t the end or destruction of Hawthorne Park or a call for protest, particularly when so much value and improvements will be added to offset the impacts. Many world renowned parks have roads through them, and are doing just fine.

Some examples of great parks with roads through them:

• Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC
• Central Park, New York, USA
• Tiergarten Park, Berlin, Germany
• And the list goes on.. and on.

Hawthorne Park will live on, and emerge even better than before.

For more on the 105A Connector and Hawthorne Park Improvements project:

http://www.surrey.ca/city-services/22562.aspx

Google Earth view of Hawthorn Park looking north from 104 Ave

On Monday, Surrey Council authorized staff to move forward with an Alternative Approval Process to remove a 1979 bylaw reserving a portion of lands in Hawthorne Park for park purposes. The bylaw, which applies to 6 properties (shown on the map below), currently preserves the properties for park purposes. City Staff want to construct a new portion of 105 Avenue through the properties as part of an east-west connector road project which has been planned since the 1980’s. An ‘Alternative Approval Process’ will now move forward involving the public, with aim to remove the 1979 Bylaw and allow for the road’s construction.

Properties affected by the 1979 Bylaw preserving lands for parkland

While some have expressed discontent with the proposed plan, fuelled by misinformation from mainstream media outlets the proposed plan will actually bring many improvements to the park including a net increase in total size and number of trees. Under the original 1987 OCP plan for 105 St through the park, the alignment was to cut straight across the park east-west. As part of the current design process, the proposed road has been re-aligned to cut further south to have the least environmental impact to the park, and preserve a pair of environmentally sensitive ponds within the park. In total the improvements include:

• Careful alignment of the proposed 105 St to minimize environmental impacts.
• The proposed roadway will be a narrow, 2-lane cross section through the park with no on-street parking to minimize impacts.
• 3 properties along 108 Avenue are proposed to be added to the park to make up for parkland lost by road construction. This will result in a net increase of 1 acre of parkland from what exists today (4 acres of park removed for the road, 5 acres of park to be added in exchange)
• 200 additional trees from what exists today will be added to the park.
• Addition of new bike lanes and sidewalks on 105 St improving accessibility to the park.
• A previous proposed connection to 142 St has been removed from the current proposal to preserve more trees and parkland.
• A new salmon rearing habitat to be added north of 105 St within the park.
• Relocation of the existing Hawthorne Park parking lot and access roadway to a more efficient location, allowing for more green space within the park.
• New walking trails to be established through the park.

Proposed alignment of 105 St and Park Improvements

While the plan for the 105 St connector through the park has been in place since 1987, the 1979 bylaw has prohibited the road from actually being constructed. While well intended at the time, the bylaw has since become outdated, put in place nearly 4 decades ago when Surrey was much less developed. In the current context of a rapidly growing city, the 105 St connector is an important piece of infrastructure needed to meet current and future transportation needs, as well as servicing demands within Surrey. The connector will also provide an alternative route to 104 Street, which is designated to become a transit-prioritized and oriented corridor in the near-future with the addition of LRT. The minimal loss of 4 acres of parkland within the 57 acre park (which will then be recuperated through the addition of 5 new acres of parkland) is a negligible price to pay for the greater community good of improved connectivity, accessibility, and overall improvements to the park. 

For more on the proposed bylaw removal and 105 Ave connector project:
http://www.surrey.ca/bylawsandcouncillibrary/CR_2017-R161.pdf

The January Issue of the City Centre Update is now available at SurreyCityCentre.ca. This month’s newsletter includes a round-up of new Development Applications, Council Approvals, and Construction activity over the past month, as well as a brief overview of development stats in 2020 in context of the previous 5 years.

New Development Applications

Two new development applications were submitted within City Centre during December 2020, bringing the total number of major applications under initial review to 32. This represents approximately 35 High-Rises (>6-Storeys) and 22 Low-Rises (4-6 Storeys).

20 – 0304 | 13301 104 Ave

This large site located on 104 Ave just west of University Dr saw a Rezoning, Subdivision, OCP Amendment, City Centre Amendment, and Development Permit application submitted in December 2020. The application is proposing to redevelop an existing low-rise multi-family housing complex into 6 new buildings containing 2,444 units, 2,400 SF of retail space, and 4,652 SF of daycare space.

20 – 0326 | 10937 132A St

A Rezoning, Subdivision, and Development Permit application was submitted in December 2020 for this site located on 132A St just north of 109 Ave near Gateway Station. The application is proposing to consolidate 4 existing single family lots into 1 new lot in order to develop a low-rise residential building containing 159 units. The site is to the adjacent east and across the lane from the currently under construction 5-Storey Camellia Seniors Living project.

Council Approvals

Four major projects received approval from Council during December 2020, joining 28 other pre-existing approved projects. As of January 2021, there are now 32 approved projects in City Centre, representing 40 High-Rises (>6-Storeys), and 21 Low-Rises (4-6 Storeys).

19 – 0370 | Quinn Apartments

This 6-storey residential project by Porte Homes received 3rd Reading (Conditional Approval) on December 21, 2020. Located at 134 St & 94A Ave, across from Queen Elizabeth Meadows Park, the project includes 174 units with ground oriented townhouse units along both street frontages. The project will also dedicate a new ‘green lane’ along the north of the site, and include a publicly accessible landscaped pedestrian pathway along the east edge of the site.

19 – 0372 | King George & 106A

This mixed-use residential / commercial project consisting of two towers (42 & 50 Storeys) at King George Blvd & 106A Ave received 3rd Reading (Conditional Approval) on December 7, 2020. Designed by Vancouver’s MCM Architects, the project includes 1,019 units and 7,868 SF of ground-level retail space along future 106A Avenue. The project will also dedicate a new portion of 136A St running north-south through the middle of the site.

20 – 0016 | Yorkton

This 6-storey residential project on 108 Ave just east of 138 St received 3rd Reading (Conditional Approval) on December 7, 2020. Designed by Vancouver’s WA Architects, the project includes 193 units between 2 buildings. The project will also dedicate a new ‘green lane’ along the rear of the site to the south, and include a publicly accessible landscaped pedestrian pathway running north south between the 2 buildings.

20 – 0207 | Sunshine Co-op

This 6-storey co-operative housing project by the Sunshine Co-op received 3rd Reading (Conditional Approval) on December 21, 2020. Located at the corner of 132 St & 104 Ave across from Kwantlen Park Secondary, the project will include 69 affordable housing units. The project will also dedicate a new ‘green lane’ along the west side of the site.

Construction

No new projects began construction during December 2020, however one 6-storey residential project known as La Voda, resumed construction after having been halted in the fall of 2020. As of January 2021, there are now 17 projects under construction in City Centre, representing 15 high- rises (>6 Storeys) and 7 low-rises (4-6-storeys).

Camellia | 5-Storey Seniors Residential | 132 St & 109 Ave One Central | 44-Storey Residential + Retail | 133 St & Central Ave City Centre 3 | 10-Storey Office + Retail | 96 Ave & 137A St University District | 28 & 37-Storey Residential + Retail | University Dr & 104 Ave Linea | 28-Storey Residential | 133A St & 104 Ave Legion Veterans Village | 20-Storey Mixed-Use | City Parkway & 106 Ave Maverick | 5-Storey Residential | Whalley Blvd & Grosvenor Rd King George Hub (Phase B + C) | 29, 34 & 40-Storey Residential + 15-Storey Office + Retail | King George Blvd & Fraser Hwy King George Hub (Phase B) Retail Component | King George Blvd & Fraser Hwy Parker | 4-Storey Residential | 139 St & 105 Ave Georgetown One | 30-Storey Residential + Retail | 102 Ave & Whalley Blvd

The December Issue of the City Centre Monthly Update is now out at SurreyCityCentre.ca. This month’s newsletter includes a round-up of new Development Applications, Council Approvals, and Construction activity over the past month.

New Development Applications

Four new major development applications were submitted within City Centre during the past month of November 2020, bringing the total number of major projects under initial review to 34. This represents approximately 27 HighRises (

A new mixed-use development proposed for a vacant piece of land next to Holland Park is set to appear before Council on Monday, February 24 for 1st & 2nd Readings. Known as Holland Parkside, and being developed by Century Group (the same developer as 3 Civic Plaza), the project is proposing to bring a mix of market and rental housing, office, retail, restaurant, public food market, and courtyard green space to the growing neighbourhood surrounding King George Station. Overall, the project is to include:

• 42 + 36 Storey Market Residential Towers above a townhouse base (818 Units)
• 19-Storey Rental Residential Tower (204 Units)
• 10-Storey Mid-Rise Office Tower (212,000 sq.ft. including retail)
• Ground-level Retail in a double-height podium at the base of the office and rental towers along King George Blvd, including a 2-storey restaurant and large market hall for food vendors
• A publicly accessible Central Courtyard on level 3 with an urban agriculture and food-related theme

Perspective along King George Blvd – Rental Residential Tower (Left), Office Mid-Rise (Right), and 2-Storey Retail / Market Hall Podium Perspective along west side of site adjacent to existing Single Family – Market Residential Towers and Townhouse Base Perspective along 99 Ave – Office Mid-Rise (Left) and Market Residential Tower (Right) Perspective along 98A Ave – Market Residential Tower (Left), Rental Residential Tower (Right), Level 3 Courtyard (Centre) A publicly accessible courtyard on level 3 in the centre of the site, accessible via a grand staircase through the site from King George Blvd

Designed by ZGF Architects, the development is to be built in phases over a number of years, subject to market conditions. The current application is for a Rezoning, City Centre Plan Amendment, and General Development Permit (for Form & Character) only. Detailed Development Permits for each phase will be brought forth at later dates under separate applications.

At the south end of the site, a small portion of land will be dedicated to allow for 98A Avenue to bend northward and intersect with ‘George Junction’ a new crescent road to connect through the King George Hub development across the street. At the north end of the site, a new 99 Ave will be constructed, which will then bend south around the development to connect to 98B Ave to the west. The existing single family housing to the west is expected to be redeveloped in the future to 4-6 Storey multi-family, as per the City Centre Plan.

Contextual view facing North-West Contextual View facing South-East Contextual View facing North-East

At this time, detailed design of project is still underway, and will continue to be refined through subsequent development permit applications for each phase. The report to Council notes that the first phase is expected to be constructed and ready for occupancy by summer 2024, although does not mention which portion will be developed first. Given that all 4 buildings share a common parkade, podium, and level 3 Central Courtyard, it’s unclear how the project would be built in phases.

For more on the project:

https://www.surrey.ca/bylawsandcouncillibrary/PLR_7918-0217-00.pdf

A 26-Storey residential tower proposed at Central Ave and 133 St in the growing West Village neighbourhood received Preliminary Approval following Public Hearing on January 13. The project, named ‘CityWalk’ and being developed by Huacheng Holdings is located directly across from the new West Village District Energy Centre and Park, as well as the recently completed Evolve tower.

Designed by Wilson Chang Architect, the project is to include 223 units within a 26-storey tower above a 4-storey podium with ground-oriented townhouse units at the base fronting along Central Ave and 133 St. The building is intended to transition height from taller towers east of the site, down to a low to mid-rise form west of the site along 132 St at the edge of City Centre.

Perspective view looking north-east with 36-storey Evolve across the street View facing south-west from 133 St & Central Ave View facing north from proposed Public Pathway View facing north west from 133 St

As part of the Landscape Plan prepared for the site by Vancouver’s ETA Landscape Architecture, a public walkway is proposed along the south side of the building, lending the project its name. This pathway will connect to an existing public walkway across the street to the east between the Evolve and Ultra towers, and eventually extend further east through to Civic Plaza as more projects develop. A green-roof is also proposed as part of the plan on top of the low-rise podium.

Additionally as part of the project, Central Avenue will see its remaining south half dedicated and constructed west of 133 St for the length of the site, inclusive of a separated bike lane to match the already constructed north side of the street.

Having now received 3rd Reading, the project can be expected to receive Final Approval within a year, and completion likely by 2024-5.

For more on the project https://www.surrey.ca/bylawsandcouncillibrary/PLR_7918-0125-00.pdf

UrbanSurrey is transitioning to a monthly newsletter in partnership with the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association. The newsletter will be available on a monthly basis via the SurreyCityCentre.ca website. There you will find information and resources on the continued growth and transformation of Surrey’s new City Centre.

The monthly newsletter will be available under the Development Updates section of the website. A link to October’s newsletter can be found at the link below, providing an overview of current applications, approvals, and construction within City Centre:

Surrey City Centre Monthly Update – October Newsletter

The current projects section of this blog will continue to be updated on a periodic basis.

Public consultation is set to get underway this month for the proposed Surrey Langley SkyTrain (SLS) extension, as well as the future of rapid transit along 104 Avenue & King George Blvd.

In 2014, the regional Mayors Council identified Fraser Highway, King George Boulevard, and 104 Avenue as priority corridors for rapid transit South of the Fraser in the 10-Year Vision. Following a study looking at combinations of SkyTrain, LRT, and Bus Rapid Transit for the corridors, the Mayors Council decided on 27-km of urban-style LRT on dedicated track (separate from traffic) on each of the corridors to be built over 2 phases:

• Phase 1: Surrey-Newton-Guildford Line on 104 Avenue & King George Boulevard
• Phase 2: Surrey-Langley Line on Fraser Highway

With funding in place to cover the entire first phase, and construction set to begin this year – a last minute request was made in 2018 by Surrey’s new Council to the regional Mayors’ Council to suspend the Phase 1 Surrey-Newton-Guildford LRT line and re-direct funding to the Phase 2 Surrey-Langley line instead, while switching the technology of the Phase 2 line to SkyTrain. The Mayors’ Council voted to move forward with this request, and directed TransLink to begin planning work for SkyTrain on Fraser Highway while at the same time re-visit rapid transit plans for 104 Avenue and King George Boulevard corridors.

Proposed Surrey Langley SkyTrain route and conceptual stations

The switch of priorities to the Phase 2 Fraser Highway line and changing its technology to SkyTrain has had implications both in budget and timeline. The funding that was allocated for the full Phase 1 Surrey-Newton-Guildford LRT line has been identified as inadequate to fund the entire Fraser Highway SkyTrain extension to Langley. Pending a future round of funding (timeline unclear), the line may have to be phased, with the current funding getting the line potentially only as far as Fleetwood. Start of construction and delivery of new rapid transit South of the Fraser is also now delayed by approximately 2 years as a result of the switch.

Despite the funding and timeline uncertainties, planning work is nonetheless well underway for the new SLS line, which will need to involve a significant re-evaluation of land-use plans along the Fraser Highway corridor to support SkyTrain, completion of a number of supportive studies, and extensive Public Consultation. In a project update report to Surrey Council this week – a preliminary timeline was given for this work by TransLink, with start of service targeted for 2025.

To run concurrently with the SLS planning and consultation work will be a planning process to ‘refresh’ the South Fraser Rapid Transit Strategy for delivering the Mayors’ Council fully envisioned 27km of Rapid Transit along each of the Fraser Hwy, King George Blvd, and 104 Ave corridors. This refresh will look to re-examine and engage the public on what rapid transit along the remaining corridors could look like, now that SkyTrain has been chosen as the technology for Fraser Hwy. The 2013 Rapid Transit Alternatives Study identified Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) for these corridors based on a scenario with SkyTrain on Fraser Hwy. With much LRT planning work having now been completed however, for the 104 Ave and King George Blvd corridors, it’s possible that LRT could still be an option for them rather than BRT, especially given Surrey’s long-term rapid transit vision for an extensive LRT network on major arterials across the City.

The first round of Public Consultation on the SLS line and South Fraser Rapid Transit refresh gets underway on April 11 in Langley, with open houses in Surrey on April 15, 16, and 17. TransLink has also recently launched an online survey where you can voice your feedback on the proposed SLS line. Open House times are set for the following dates and locations between 3-8pm:

• Thursday, April 11 – Langley City Hall
• Monday, April 15 – Surrey Sport & Leisure Complex (Fleetwood)
• Tuesday, April 16 – Surrey City Hall
• Wednesday, April 17 – Newton Seniors Centre

More info on the land-use planning review process for the Fraser Highway Corridor being undertaken by the City of Surrey can be found here: https://www.surrey.ca/bylawsandcouncillibrary/CR_2019-R059.pdf

A development application has been submitted for a new mixed-use project on 104 Ave near Whalley Blvd. The subject site is made up of 3 existing properties that span the block between 104 Ave and Central Ave just east of Whalley Blvd. The site is currently occupied by a run-down early 1970’s strip mall known as ‘Plaza 104’.

According to details of the development application, the applicant – Andrew Cheung Architects – is seeking to rezone the property and amend both the Official Community Plan and City Centre Plan for increased density from 3.5 FAR to 5.5 FAR to allow for a phased 1149 unit mixed-use development containing 10,720 sq.ft. of commercial space. This translates into approximately 3 high-rise residential towers above retail. In addition, the development would dedicate a new north-south road through the site, as well as 2 new lanes as per the City Centre Plan.

The current application is seeking a Development Permit for phase 1, which is to contain a single tower (383 units) and all 10,720 sq.ft. of commercial space on a newly subdivided parcel fronting 104 Avenue. The remaining phases of the project to the south would be subject to future applications.

Site in context of the City Centre Plan showing future road and lane dedications Subject Site on 104 Avenue east of Whalley Blvd containing a 1970’s strip mall Birds-eye view of site looking south from 104 Ave

For more on the application: https://apps.surrey.ca/Online-Development-Inquiry/?year=19&seq=0060

A heritage revitalization project being proposed by Vancouver developer Rize Alliance at 9656 King George Blvd just north of Surrey Memorial Hospital, received unanimous approval by Surrey’s Advisory Design Panel (ADP) on February 14. The project, which must still appear before Council for approvals, is proposing to restore the 1969-built North Surrey Medical Building, while adding a new ‘twin’ commercial podium, and residential tower to the site.

The North Surrey Medical Building is listed in the Surrey City Centre Plan as a ‘Potential Heritage Resource’. If approved, the project will officially add the building to the City’s Heritage Register, and help to preserve and enhance mid-century heritage within the City Centre – a goal of the City Centre Plan.

Subject Site at 9656 King George Blvd

Aside from the Heritage Revitalization Agreement for the North Surrey Medical Building, the proposal is seeking to Rezone the subject site from CHI to CD, Consolidate 2 lots into 1, and obtain a Development Permit in order to construct 276 residential units and 1486 sq. m. of commercial space. The new commercial space is to occupy a new ‘twin’ 4-storey podium consisting of ground floor retail and 3 floors of office – adjacent to and resembling the original 1960’s building.

Now that the project has passed ADP – it can be expected to appear before Council within the coming months. More renderings and project details can also be expected at that time.

For more on the proposal: https://apps.surrey.ca/Online-Development-Inquiry/?year=18&seq=0276

Early last year, work began on the 105 Avenue Connector and Hawthorne Park Improvements project. The purpose of the project was to improve connectivity between City Centre and Guildford through a new multi-modal collector road, as well as deliver numerous improvements to Hawthorne Park – including improved accessibility, a new aquatic habitat, and increasing the park’s overall size.

Since then, Phase 1 of the project, including the 105A Connector between Whalley Blvd and 144 Street has mostly completed, with some finishing touches remaining between 139 Street and 140 Street. The new 105A Avenue is a multi-modal corridor featuring 2 vehicle lanes, grade separated bike lanes, sidewalks, boulevards, fencing, and enhanced pedestrian-oriented street lighting. The route offers pedestrians and cyclists a pleasant alternative to 104 Avenue, skirting the edge of Hawthorne Park and continuing west past 140th Street into City Centre.

Below is a small photo tour of the new 105A and park improvements.

Completed phase 1 of 105A Connector project New 105A Ave though Hawthorne Park with sidewalk, bike-lane, and roadway New landscaping and habitat area New sidewalk and bike lane near Aquatic Habitat New pedestrian bridge over aquatic habitat New Aquatic Habitat at Hawthorne Park New Aquatic Habitat in Hawthorne Park New Aquatic Habitat from 105A Ave New 105A Avenue along south edge of Hawthorne Park New 105A Avenue between 139 Street and 140 Street New 105A Avenue between 139 Street and 140 Street

More info on the 105A Connector and Hawthorne Park Improvements Project can be found on the City’s website: https://www.surrey.ca/city-services/22562.aspx

Or take a visit for yourself!

With Doug McCallum’s win in last weekend’s election, Surrey appears to be in for change. Campaigning heavily on LRT and Safety, the topic of discussion now is whether he will deliver on his promise to ‘scrap’ LRT and ‘replace’ it with SkyTrain. It appears the majority of Surrey residents are in favour of this – fuelled by non-stop negative publicity of LRT in the media – but what does an LRT to SkyTrain ‘switch’ actually mean for Surrey? A few key implications to consider:

SkyTrain vs LRT – 2 different routes

A misconception that many who ‘voted’ for SkyTrain over LRT may have may have is that the proposed LRT will simply be ‘switched’ to SkyTrain. This is not the case – each would run along a different route. Let’s look at the difference:

LRT – City Centre-Newton-Guildford: The proposed ‘Phase 1’ LRT route – with secured funding and significant planning and design work already completed – is planned run from Guildford along 104 Avenue to City Centre, then south on King George Blvd to Newton. This is known as the ‘L’ Line or Surrey-Netwon-Guildford Line – serving Surrey’s most populated, and urban town centres.

Phase 1 LRT route along 104 Ave & King George Blvd + future Phase 2 route to Langley

SkyTrain – Fraser Highway: Doug McCallum’s SkyTrain – which would need to be planned and designed from scratch – would provide no rapid transit to Guildford or Newton (Surrey’s most populated / urban town centres) – but instead be an extension of the existing Expo Line down Fraser Highway to Fleetwood, Cloverdale (Surrey’s least populated / urban town centres) and Langley.

SkyTrain extension to Langley along Fraser Hwy through low density suburbs / ALR to Langley

The Land-Use Difference

LRT: The proposed ‘Phase 1’ LRT route would serve Surrey’s most established urban corridors with the highest densities – 104 Avenue and King George Blvd. Guildford Town Centre contains the regions 2nd largest shopping centre, numerous high-rises and offices. Further, the currently underway Guildford-104 Avenue Corridor Plan which is set to become adopted in 2019, has designated land all along 104 Avenue between City Centre and Guildford for increased urban densities appropriate for a rapid transit corridor. A similar plan is set to follow for the King George corridor between City Centre and Newton. Simply put – 104 Avenue and King George Blvd are the most appropriate corridors for initial rapid transit expansion in Surrey due to their already underway land-use planning for higher density, and their existing densities, land-use, and most urban character of Surrey’s corridors.

Phase 1 LRT route along existing urban corridors with planned density Guildford – 104 Avenue Corridor Plan – urban density planned along LRT route

SkyTrain: Doug McCallum’s SkyTrain would run down Fraser Highway which currently has no land-use plans for significant urban density underway, and is currently of the lowest density and suburban of corridors in Surrey. The SkyTrain route would run through:

• Green Timbers Forest for the first 2km of its route
• the low density suburban neighbourhood of Fleetwood for the next 5km
• ALR farm land for the next 2km
• and finally low density suburban Clayton/Cloverdale and Langley for the remaining 6km of the route

This route would have the lowest densities of any SkyTrain corridor in the region – including significant stretches through forest and ALR farm land – unseen anywhere else on the SkyTrain system. SkyTrain along Fraser Highway would require significant land-use changes along Fraser Highway to justify it – including significant increases in density, high-rise towers, and transit-oriented development – similar to elsewhere along the SkyTrain network. This would require changes to the Official Community Plan (OCP) – ironically Doug McCallum campaigned against OCP amendments.

Simply put – this type of development is incompatible with the scale and character of the Fraser Highway corridor that is predominantly newer single family homes and townhomes. Many living along that corridor would surely object to such drastic land-use changes appropriate for a SkyTrain line.

SkyTrain extension through low density suburbs / ALR with no planned urban density

From a land-use planning perspective – it makes the most sense to serve the highest density corridors and urban centres (104 Avenue – King George Blvd) with rapid transit prior to lower density corridors such as Fraser Highway. Instead, a SkyTrain extension over LRT would do the exact opposite of what makes sense. While it is important to provide a rapid transit link to Langley, and connect the communities of Fleetwood, Clayton/Cloverdale with regional rapid transit – from a land-use and planning perspective these areas are lower priority than Guildford and Newton – and Fraser Highway does not have density appropriate for SkyTrain. In an ideal world, Langley would be serviced by long-distance commuter rail such as all-day WestCoast Express – but realistically – LRT may be the best option for serving Langley down Fraser Highway as a Phase 2 project – given the density, scale, and character of that corridor.

Uncertain Timeline

LRT: Funding for the proposed ‘Phase 1’ LRT route is “in the mail” from the Federal and Provincial Governments. Significant planning, consultation work, and design has been underway for years, and the project is now at the procurement stage with construction set to begin in 2019 and completion by 2024.

LRT scheduled to begin construction in 2019 – years of planning, consultation, design already complete.

SkyTrain: Doug McCallum claims that secured funding for LRT can simply be ‘switched’ to fund a SkyTrain extension to Langley instead of the Guildford Newton line. While this may be possible, as the funding doesn’t specify a type of rail – the fact is – no planning, consultation, or design work has been completed on a SkyTrain extension down Fraser Highway. The amount of time and additional resources that would need to go into a SkyTrain extension prior to its construction would not only delay the project for an unforeseen number of extra years – pushing completion of this line to the late 2020’s.

By that time, Phase 2 of the LRT is likely to be under construction – resulting in Surrey having 2 new rapid transit lines by the late 2020’s instead of just a single SkyTrain extension down low-density Fraser Hwy within the same time frame.

While these reasons aren’t exhaustive in the debate – they are very key ones that have been surprisingly absent talking points. Surrey residents may not have been the best informed on the SkyTrain vs LRT debate thanks to the media – to make an educated decision that weighs more factors than just ‘speed of service’ and ‘glamour of SkyTrain vs LRT’ – but in the end it may not matter. The LRT project is likely too far along at this stage and with too much else to consider to simply be ‘switched’. It is being led by non-partisan land-use and transit planning experts in the Planning & Transportation Departments (not the former Mayor or Councillors as some may believe) – experts who should be leading such projects – rather than transit planning on a whim by politicians and voters.

Blackwood Partners, have released new details on their upcoming ‘Central City 2’ office tower project at the corner of Old Yale Rd and King George Blvd. A new leasing brochure, available on the Central City website, provides some updated renderings, floorplans, and marketing information aimed at future tenants looking for office and retail space.

Since first being announced back in November 2017, the new renderings depict a re-designed, more refined tower, from that initially conceptualized. The new design features a stronger podium fronting Old Yale Rd and a more cohesive tower floor-plate and massing compared to the previous design. The rectangular floor plate blends into an elliptical floor plate on higher floors – referencing the existing 25-storey Central City office tower at 102 Ave & University Dr built in 2003.

Conceptual rendering of tower podium and restaurant at corner of City Parkway and Old Yale Rd

Tower Details

Designed by Vancouver’s ZGF Architects, the project will be a 25-storey, Class AAA, mixed- use tower, containing 512,305 SF of commercial space and +/-20,000 SF of retail space contained within the podium. The ground level is conceptualized to contain 6 retail units, a restaurant, cafe, and office tower lobby, anchored to a prominent public plaza at the corner of Old Yale Rd and King George Blvd across from Holland Park and King George Station. The building will be built to LEED GoldDesign (with a pathway to Platinum), and also contain:

• Premium end-of-trip facilities, with ample bicycle storage, executive bicycle lockers, shower, and change facilities
• Approximately 900 underground parking stalls
• High-speed state-of-the-art elevators
• Electric vehicle charging stations and car share parking spaces.
• Numerous other advanced technology features

Conceptualized ground-level floor plan Artistic rendering of views from higher-level office floors Artistic rendering of roof-top views overlooking Holland Park Artistic rendering of fitness facilities for office employees

Long-term plan

Also released as part of the leasing brochure is a glimpse at the long-range plan for redevelopment of the entire Central City site following Central City 2. This plan will see much of the existing indoor shopping centre retained but renovated, with the introduction of a new prominent plaza at its south-end along Old Yale Rd, linking the shopping centre directly onto Holland Park. The existing parking lot along King George Blvd is envisioned to be broken up into a series of new city blocks, containing mixed-use high-rise development sites. A re-aligned City Parkway will connect directly through the site from the north, past a new entry plaza where Wal-Mart currently exists.

While no target dates have been given for completion of Central City 2 – it is expected that a development application will be submitted for the project in the near future. The long-range plan for Central City is expected to play out over the next decade or longer. For more on Central City 2:

http://www.centralcity.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Tower-2-at-Central-City-Brochure-April-2018.pdf

Invest Surrey held an inaugural launchpad event today at Surrey City Hall hosted by Mayor Linda Hepner, featuring a number of speakers and panelists, discussing the future of Surrey and investment opportunities in the rapidly growing and changing city. The event was structured around a number of topics throughout the course of the day on the keynote theme ‘Transformation 2.0’ covering:

• Entertainment & Lifestyle
• Digital Information & Communication Technology
• Research & Development/Innovation
• Industrial, Transportation, & Logistics
• Housing Diversity

‘Central City 2’ Announced

At the event, a few major announcements were made, including an announcement by Blackwood Partners, owners of the Central City office, shopping centre, and university complex, that they will be moving forward with a successor tower named ‘Central City 2’.

While few details have been released so far, what is known is that the tower is proposed as a AAA mixed-use office tower at the corner of King George Blvd & Old Yale Rd on the site of what is currently a former Best Buy. The tower is situated directly across from Holland Park as well as King George Skytrain Station to the south. A rendering released at the event shows a oval shaped tower similar to the original Central City tower, fit within a more rectangular outer shell. There is also a large curved podium and generous plaza space meeting the intersection and extending underneath the podium

According to the City Centre Plan, the tower will occupy an entire new block, with a new lane proposed to the north of the building. This proposal sets the stage for the redevelopment of the remaining parking lot along King George Blvd into similar sized blocks, perhaps with a ‘Central City 3’ tower to follow at 102 & King George Blvd in the future.

‘Central City 2’ site within City Centre Plan

It’s unclear at this time who Blackwood Partners is working with as an Architect, or partnering developer, or how soon this proposal could get moving. As of now, no application has yet to appear on Surrey’s COSMOS mapping information system. The project also has yet to appear before Surrey’s Advisory Design Panel (ADP), meaning the design pictured in the rendering could still undergo revision.

Upon submission of an application, it could likely take up to 2 years before we see construction begin, and another 2-3 years to build. The project could perhaps move faster if fast tracked under Surrey’s Nexus program, but likely completion won’t be until the early 2020’s.

New Art Gallery Announced

In addition to the ‘Central City 2’ office tower announcement, it was also announced that the Surrey Art Gallery will be relocating to Surrey City Centre as a new ‘Interactive Art Museum’ slated to become the largest of its kind in Canada.

More details on both the ‘Central City 2’ tower and new Interactive Art Gallery as they come.

For more on Invest Surrey’s event today:

https://investsurrey.ca/launchpad