Overview

The community of City Centre in Surrey, BC is a rapidly evolving downtown core of the city. In 2021, the population of Surrey City Centre was 48,000 . It is projected to grow to 106,000 residents by 2041. The area is rapidly developing with new condo towers and both commercial and institutional developments. It has a high concentration of the city’s overall commercial activity, with many major businesses, employers, post-secondary schools and stores located along King George Blvd. 

A new regional downtown for the Fraser Valley is literally taking shape as we speak and will continue to for many years to come. This is an exciting time in this area with all of the new developments transforming things for the better.

Location

Surrey City Centre is approximately bounded by 92 Ave to the South, 112 Ave to the North, 132 Street to the West and 140 Street to the East. King George Blvd. is the main arterial road that has a concentration of offices, shops and residential condo towers. It is the main road around which the highest density development is taking shape. Three major transit corridors come together here: King George Boulevard, Fraser Highway and 104 Avenue. This newly emerging downtown area is comparable in size to Vancouver's downtown peninsula (excluding Stanley Park).

 This part of Surrey allows for relatively easy access by car or bus to New Westminster, Burnaby, North Delta, Guildford, Newton and Fleetwood.  Commuters who use their car to drive into New Westminster, Burnaby or Vancouver will soon have a newer, wider and safer Patullo Bridge replacement coming into service, in the near future.

The City Centre area is incredibly convenient for commuters that use Skytrain. Downtown Vancouver is only approximately a 40 minute train ride away. King George Station, Central City Station and the Gateway Station are three access points to Skytrain that all fall within this community. As well, a future Surrey to Langley Skytrain extension eastwards is under construction. This will extend the Expo Line towards Langley City. As such, anyone living in Surrey City Centre can easily access communities from Downtown Vancouver to Langley, without a car in the future.

The truly central location of Surrey City Centre is a gem in terms of connectivity and convenience. Offices, shopping, services, rapid transit, higher education, modern amenities etc. are concentrated and easily accessible to the residents here. Car-free living is a practical option for the residents of this community.

Parks

The central green space of Surrey City Centre is the beautiful Holland Park.  It is undoubtedly the most popular and utilized park anywhere in central Surrey.  Holland Park has stunning gardens, complete with paved walking trails. There are two large playgrounds that appeal to all age groups of children, from toddlers to upper elementary grade students. The water fountains add a nice touch to the park as well. The park is popular for residents to come socialize, picnic and spend part of the day. It is also the site of city cultural events, such as the Fusion Festival.

 Aerial Image of Holland Park

Holland Park

Hawthorne Rotary Park is another amazing recreational gem for people living in the Central Surrey area. There is a hockey box, basketball court, amazing water spray park, fun playground, duck pond and paved walking trails. It is a hidden gem in the City.

The Gardens of Hawthorne Park

Education

Kwantlen Polytechnic University is a public degree-granting undergraduate institution located in 3 Civic Plaza.  It draws many students from both within and outside of Surrey. The same is true for Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) campus at Central City. Recently, it was announced that the University of British Columbia (UBC) is also setting up a satellite campus in Surrey City Centre. It is worth noting that there is somewhat of a medical education hub forming as there will be a new medical school for training doctors to open at SFU Surrey and Surrey Memorial Hospital is in the vicinity.  

Living in Surrey City Centre is obviously a great choice for post-secondary students, considering the institutions that have (or will soon have) a presence here.  

Cultural and Recreational Facilities

The City Centre branch of Surrey Libraries is an amazing building and a must see if visiting the area. It is a key hub for residents seeking some quiet reflective time indoors. The Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre offers a variety of programming and is a clean modern facility. There are other brand name private gyms in the area as well. 

City Centre Branch (Surrey Libraries)

Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre

In Summary

Buying a home in the City Centre area is an exciting opportunity. There is a lot of new housing stock, of condos in particular, that has recently come online. And there is much more development to come to the area yet! 

The potential for buyers, especially first-time buyers, to benefit from the emergence of this new downtown core is excellent. I highly recommend younger or first-time buyers consider getting on the property ladder in this area of Surrey. It could be a great place to build equity over time, while benefiting from the excellent connectivity, amenities and conveniences that this central location has to offer.