Tour 1 - Outdoor History Exploration

Begin the day at the Barnston Island Ferry crossing at the east end of 104th Avenue in the Port Kells area of northeast Surrey.  The 5 minute ferry ride crosses Parsons Channel and drops you onto the island and into an environment free of  crowds, noise, and confusion.  Take your bike over and enjoy a leisurely ride around the perimeter road.  You'll pass by the few farms and lucky locals enjoying the island life!  Stop off at the Island's provincial park to sit and relax while gazing across the Fraser River.  Back on Surrey land you can drive around Port Kells and check out the various historical buildings in the area.  Take Hwy. 15 (176th Street) south to Cloverdale for lunch.  Here you can explore the historical town centre where Surrey began.  There are many antique stores to browse through. Visit the new Surrey Museum where you'll experience first hand the history of Surrey.  To end the day, drop by Fraser Downs Racetrack and Casino for some horse racing and a night of excitement.

Hours of Operation/Contact Information:

• Barnston Island Ferry:  Runs on demand Mon. - Thurs.: 6:15 am to 11:55 pm.  On demand Fri. - Sun.: 6:15 am to 12:55 am
• Fraser Downs Racetrack & Casino:  Located at 17755 - 60th Avenue.  Call 604-576-9141 or visit Fraser Downs Web Site

Tour 2 - Gardens and Parks

Surrey has much to offer in outdoor splendour.  Our parks department has created some exceptional gardens for the enjoyment of all.  Bear Creek Gardens host a variety of horticultural treasures in a tranquil setting.  Visitors can stroll through the gardens along paths and over bridges.  Darts Hill Garden is privately owned but organized tours are available.  The Darts family created their garden over many years by collecting rare species of plant life from around the world.  This garden is as rare as it is beautiful.  The city's own City Hall is situated among luscious grounds that feature a totem pole, a waterfall, and plenty of places to sit and admire the surroundings. A special Water-wise garden has been developed on City Hall grounds to educate the public on the benefits and opportunities of water-wise gardening through the use of rain water to eliminate the need for conventional watering, while still enabling your garden to flourish In the Crescent Beach area you'll find Heron Park.  Smaller in size but still beautifully sculptured, this park offers a secluded spot to relax and reflect.  For wood and forest scenery you'll find the largest cluster of Redwood trees outside of California at Redwood Park.  This park contains many exotic trees which were brought in by Surrey pioneers David and Peter Brown.  Sunnyside Acres and Green Timbers both contain second growth urban forests, protected from logging and left untouched to grow as nature intended.

Hours of Operation/Contact Information:

• Bear Creek Gardens:  King George Highway and 88th Ave
• Darts Hill Garden:  16th Avenue and 170th Street.  Call 604-501-5050 to book a tour.
• City Hall:  Highway 10 and 144th Street
• Heron Park:  Beecher Street and Gordon Avenue
• Redwood Park:  17900 - 20th Avenue
• Sunnyside Acres Park:  148th Street and 24th Avenue
• Green Timbers Park:  148th Street and 100th Avenue

Tour 3 - Birds and Beaches

The early bird catches the worm and the early riser gets to watch!  A perfect viewpoint is at Serpentine Fen.  This wildlife bird sanctuary located off King George Hwy gives bird lovers a haven to watch the migrating and nesting birds in their natural habitat from the viewing towers or during a stroll along the pathways and dykes.  A short drive south down King George Highway, and west onto Crescent Road brings you to the historical site of the Stewart Farm House.  Situated in the picturesque setting of Elgin Heritage Park, the farm house shows how life was lived back in Surrey's pioneer days.  Depending on the season, there are a variety of activities held on site.  At the end of Crescent Road (it turns into Beecher Street) you'll find Crescent Beach, one of Surrey's best kept secrets.  This tranquil area offers shops and restaurants.  You can eat right on the beach or at one of the quaint nearby establishments.  At the north end of Crescent Beach is Blackies Spit, another natural habitat for birds and other wildlife animals.  To the south of Crescent Beach you'll find 1001 steps which take you to the top of the ridge where some fortunate residents have some of the best views around.  When night falls, take refuge at the Best Western Peace Arch Inn on King George Highway in South Surrey and enjoy a West Coast dinner at one of the many local resturants.

Hours of Operation/Contact Information:

• Serpentine Fen:  Located at 44th Avenue and King George Highway.
• Best Western Peace Arch Inn: Located at 2293 King George Highway. Call (604) 541-8100
• Stewart Farm House:  Located at 13723 Crescent Rd. Open: Tuesday to Friday, 10:00am - 4:00pm  Saturday & Sunday, 12 noon - 4pm  Please call 604-502-6456 to check out our Winter and Summer schedules.
  

Tour 4 - Family Fun

When you've got an active family to entertain, start the day at Newton Wave Pool.  This family oriented centre features waterslides, interactive water toys, waves, hot tubs, and steam rooms.  While the kids play, the parents can relax.  When you're dried off head north up King George Highway then east on 104th Ave to Guildford for some lunch.  If you're looking for some shopping opportunities, Guildford Town Centre Mall contains all the major stores needed to fill one's wardrobe.  When you're ready head to Bear Creek Park for a ride on the miniature railway.  Bear Creek Park also houses an outdoor running track, playground, garden area and much more.  End the day at SilverCity Guildford and take in a movie in one of their state of the art theatres.

Hours of Operation/Contact Information:

• Newton Wave Pool:  Located at 13730 - 72nd Ave. Call (604) 501-5540 for hours of operation.
• Guildford Town Centre:  152nd Street and 104th Ave. Call (604) 585-1565 for mall hours.
• Bear Creek:  Located at 13750 - 88th Avenue and is open from 10 am daily, all year round.  Call (604) 501-1232 or visit Bear Creek's Website for more information.
• SilverCity Guildford:  Located at 101st Avenue and 152nd Street.  Call the talking yellow pages at (604) 299-9000 and enter code 3108 for show time information or (604) 581-1716.

Tour 5 - Artists and Artisans

Surrey is home to many talented artists and artisans, as well as places where art is displayed and sold. From ceramics to sculpture, paintings to textiles there is work to view as well as some to take home with you.

Begin your day with a visit to the Surrey Arts Centre, located in the heart of the city, in Bear Creek Park. Year round, you'll find changing exhibitions of contemporary art by local, regional and international artists in the Surrey Art Gallery.Works can includepaintings, drawings , sculpture, video and three dimensional installations. The Gallery's Tec Lab provides visitors with opportunities to learn about and experience contemporary arts using new medias such as computers and video. The lobby has a dedicated space for community art exhibitions, as well as several permanent artworks. One of these is "Out of Thin Air', created by Alan Storey,consisting of a series of large copper panles that reveal words and symbols in frost.On the indoor panels are phrases representing our senses and translations of the words "dream'. The outdoor panels reference the the Arts Centre's archeticture as well asthe path carved by the waters of Bear Creek. Before your visit has ended, consider something to remember it by. The Gift Shop offers a selection of unique and finely crafted original artworks by local artists in a range of prices. Choose from decorative and functional pottery, jewellery, glassware, prints, wearable silk art, cards, woodwork and other one-of-a-kind items.

Next, your day can take you to the Mind & Matter Gallery set on three acres of quiet gardens in South Surrey. Established in 1966 by Arnold Mikelson, the gallery offers several mediums of original art for sale including wood sculpture, paintings, pottery, glass blowing and soapstone carvings along with an extensive collection of Arnold's renowned wood sculptures. Today the Gallery remains a Mecca for art aficionados from all over the world. The "Festival of Arts", held every July and first held over some 30 years ago, has grown to be one of the largest art exhibitions in the area featuring over 100 new and established local and international artists whose exhibits are offered for sale. The Gallery is open year round.

Surrey Arts Centre
13750 88th Avenue, (1 block east of King George Hwy.)
Tel: (604) 501-5566
www.arts.city.surrey.bc.ca
Gallery hours:
Monday and Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Tuesday to Thursday 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. -5 p.m. Sunday 12 noon- - 5 p. m. Holiday schedule may apply, closed statutory holidays.
Admission by donation

Mind & Matter Gallery
13743 16th Avenue
Tel: (604) 536- 6460
www.mindandmatterart.com

Tour 6 - Walking Tours

Surrey is proud of its history and throughout the community you will find insight into Surrey's past.

Memory Stones at Crescent Beach
Humans have inhabitated this fragile sandy spit at the mouth of the Nicomekl for over 5,000 years, the first to be the Coast Salish; the Semiahmoo and Kwantlen Peoples. Settlements then at Cresecent Beach were summer villages where community life centred on hunting and fishing. With the arrival of the explorers and later other setlers, to present day, the history of this area is of great significance to the larger community. As part of the City's public art program the Memory Stones at Crescent Beach was commissioned in 2002. The 33 stones circle the neighbourhood and evoke in poetic messages the history, memories, dreams and stories of the Crescent Beach community. Self-guided tours start at the "Keystone" at the foot of Beecher Street. Take a stroll along Beecher Street and  browse in the local shops, dine at one of the local restaurants or enjoy an ice cream cone at sunset, looking west to Vancouver Island's rugged skyline.

Ocean Park
The most western part of the Semiahmoo Peninsula, bounded by the waters of Semiahmoo Bay and Boundary Bay is known as Ocean Park. The Coast Salish Peoples used this place for spiritual renewal and named the area "Kwomais" which literally means place of vision, because of its high bluffs and unobstructed views to the ocean and islands. Kwomais Point is marked on many early navigation maps and has long been used as a lookout point. In 1886, early pioneer Ben Stevenson acquired 350 acres of land in Ocean Park where he built a large home overlooking Semiahmoo Bay. In the early 1900's, 136 acres were acquired in order to provide the members of the Methodist church a place where they could vacation, and in 1910 the church offered its first summer camp. Camp Kwomais still operates today and is the second oldest camp accredited with BC Camping and the oldest camp using the original campsite. The centre of the community, past and present, is the Ocean Park Community Hall, officially opened in 1926. The Hall continues to be the focus for the community and has been home to hundreds of social gatherings and special events for thousands over generations. Today's Ocean Park boasts a business and shopping centre serving the local neighbourhood, making this a preferred residential community.

Crescent Beach www.crescentbeach.bc.ca   A community based web site
Beecher Place 12160 Beecher Street Tel: (604) 535-0015
Ocean Park Community Hall 1577 128th Street Tel: (604) 538-2460
Ocean Park www.oceanpark.bc.ca A community based web site

Tour 7 Community and Public Art  and Self Guided Tours

The Fleetwood area is home to three very diverse public and community art projects.

Self guided tours of public art in the city will soon be available on the web site www.arts.surrey.ca
Discover art throughout the city - inside community centres, libraries, in parks, on a fire hall or pump station wall or along a pathway!

Multiples of Three - situated in Meagan Anne MacDougall Park, is a distinctive landscape sculpture that acts as a fence fronting the Fleetwood Booster Pumping Station. Chunky steel shapes resembling large geometric jigsaw pieces are welded into three groups and aligned asymmetrically along a base of granite slabs. Through window-like negative spaces, Argentina born sculptor Alberto Replanski invites visitors to view the more conventional pump station.

A Million Summers on Frozen Ponds - Located in the Surrey Sports and Leisure Complex aquatic and arenas areas respectively, consist of ceramic and glass elements designed and created by Blake Williams. Two large photo-based murals greet you at the entrance to the aquatic facility. Four tile murals featuring enormous diving figures are installed as one end of the pool, while 12 glass 'viewing frames' displaying historical excerpts are laminated on the windows. In the pool changing rooms, 128 tiles were screen-printed with charming sports related pictures drawn by children from William Watson Elementary School. The arena's collage-like mural On Frozen Ponds with its historical pictures of ice activities invites close scrutiny.

As you pull into the parking lot a  at the  Fleetwood Community Centre and Library, take a moment to explore the mural on the retaining wall. David Lloyd of Kwantlen University College Ceramics and members of the Fraser Valley Potters Guild sculptured and fired ceramic tiles that highlight Fleetwood's history and local flora and fauna in rich detail. Brightly coloured mosaic panels were created by community members under the guidance of artists Claudine Pommier and Jane Cameron.

Meagan Anne MacDonald Park: Located at 15385 - 90th Avenue (between Fleetwood Way and 154th Street, north of 90 Avenue)
Surrey Sport and Leisure Complex: Located at 16555 Fraser Highway. For aquatics call (604) 501-5950, for the arena call (604) 501-5881
Fleetwood Community Centre and Library: Located at 15996 84 Avenue. For the community centre call (604) 501-5030, for the Library (604) 572-5922