Surrey dubbed Metro's second downtown

Architype · #1 Posted **May 9, 2008, 2:45 PM**

Surrey dubbed Metro's second downtown

I wasn't sure if this had been posted elsewhere, but it's an interesting enough article:

Quote:

By Jeff Nagel - BC Local News - May 06, 2008
Surrey's urban heart will be upgraded to the status of Metro Vancouver's second downtown in the new regional growth strategy.

That's one of the changes now emerging as politicians fine-tune the draft of the plan to guide growth to 2031, replacing the old Livable Region Strategic Plan.

Instead of being one of eight "regional town centres" marked with circles, the new map shows Surrey's City Centre area at the end of the SkyTrain as "Surrey Metro Centre" with a slightly smaller square than the one marked "Metro Core" in downtown Vancouver.

Rest of article HERE

mr.x · #2 Posted **May 9, 2008, 6:48 PM**

It's interesting how Corrigan is trying to spear head this....I wonder why.

I'd say wait another 5-10 years for Surrey central to actually prove that it's the region's second downtown.

officedweller · #3 Posted **May 9, 2008, 7:45 PM**

Thanks. It's just putting on paper what has been the plan from the start.

Quote:

Rapid transit extensions that will fan out from Surrey's core will make the area a major transportation hub, Watts said, noting city hall may also move there.

The other regional town centres in Burnaby, Richmond, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Coquitlam, Maple Ridge and Langley City remain the same and will now be known as regional city centres.

But the 12 smaller designated municipal town centres – which include areas like Ladner, Port Moody, Guildford, White Rock and Aldergrove – are slated to grow to 16, with additions recognizing Surrey's Cloverdale area, Lynn Valley in North Vancouver, South Vancouver near 49th and Main, and northwest Langley Township near the 200 Street corridor.

Is Kerrisdale a municipal town centre?

LeftCoaster · #4 Posted **May 9, 2008, 8:27 PM**

That's not Kerrisdale, thats Oakridge, which i believe is a proposed town centre.

officedweller · #5 Posted **May 9, 2008, 8:53 PM**

I wasn't referring to the map - I was just thinking if Main & 49th is a municipal town centre, then Kerrisdale certainly should be one too - unless politics has gotten in the way. Maybe the article meant Oakridge?

worldwide · #6 Posted **May 9, 2008, 9:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

I wasn't referring to the map - I was just thinking if Main & 49th is a municipal town centre, then Kerrisdale certainly should be one too - unless politics has gotten in the way. Maybe the article meant Oakridge?

is main and 49th a municipal town center? i think its more of a neighbourhood center in terms of its function same as Fraser and 49th or Victoria and 41st.

i hate to see all that yellow on the map. it says "rural" but what they mean is exburban residential.

LeftCoaster · #7 Posted **May 9, 2008, 10:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

I wasn't referring to the map - I was just thinking if Main & 49th is a municipal town centre, then Kerrisdale certainly should be one too - unless politics has gotten in the way. Maybe the article meant Oakridge?

Ahh i see... well that being said I dont think the residents of kerrisdale would want to be a town centre at all, I'm sure they prefer things as the status quo

crazyjoeda · #8 Posted **May 9, 2008, 10:46 PM**

I think this seems like a pretty good plan. Metro Vancouver is actually a pretty small area compared with other cities of the same size. The regions suburban planning as a whole may not be great but local governments deserve some credit for keeping metro Vancouver relatively dense. I think Metro Vancouver has more transit expansion projects on the table than any other city on the continent.

deasine · #9 Posted **May 10, 2008, 1:31 AM**

Interesting about the Westminster/No 1 as potential rapid transit (rail or bus)... I would rather see the Canada Line extended past Granville then down Railway: cheap to build =D

officedweller · #10 Posted **May 10, 2008, 1:46 AM**

Yeah, Granville, is usually touted as the east-west route for a streetcar/LRT in Richmond, then north-south along Railway.

SpongeG · #11 Posted **May 10, 2008, 8:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.x2

It's interesting how Corrigan is trying to spear head this....I wonder why.

I'd say wait another 5-10 years for Surrey central to actually prove that it's the region's second downtown.

its doing pretty good now

its got a passport office, the tax centre for Vancouver etc.

it can be the Bellevue of Vancouver

nickinacan · #12 Posted **May 10, 2008, 3:56 PM**

I think this is great news. Believe it or not, Surrey is actually a very good place to develop a second central business district for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. The population divide between the Fraser River is almost equal, Surrey has great access to Ports like the Surrey Fraser Port and the Delta Super Port, Great Transit connections (Compared to the Rest of the South of the Fraser Region) and despite the current market, land values are still quite low. It is still quite early to see what the actual development will be, even though the City Centre area is red hot, but I'm sure that the results will be spectacular.