THE City of Surrey’s 10-year Parks, Recreation & Culture (PRC) Strategic Plan, received a Gold award at the Planning Institute of British Columbia (PIBC) 2018 annual conference held in Victoria on May 31. The award was presented in the category of Excellence in Policy Planning (City and Urban Areas) for engagement and public consultation work undertaken during the plan.

“When we embarked on developing the 10-year PRC Strategic Plan we wanted to engage our community every step of the way,” said Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner. “Through extensive consultation the final plan reflected community values and, with this award, we are even more confident that the strategies outlined in the plan are on track to guide us over the next decade.”

“During the past fourteen months of engagement, the City made a committed effort to be open and transparent and ensure broad community involvement at the early, middle and end stages of the planning process,” said Surrey Councillor Bruce Hayne, Chair of the Parks, Recreation and Sport Tourism Committee.  “We are honoured to receive the City’s first Gold for Excellence in Planning Award from PIBC. Given the breadth and importance of the plan, we really wanted to work hard to fully involve the community and consider all engagement channels available to us.”

The plan was approved by Surrey City Council on May 28 and will provide a 10-year vision to guide $357 million investment in major new initiatives and projects for parks, recreation and culture across the City. The plan was developed with comprehensive community engagement and consultation. The planned process kicked off in March 2017 and involved more than 5,000 residents, businesses and community stakeholders throughout the year long process. Engagement processes reached youth, seniors, the indigenous community and newcomers as well as multiple stakeholders and groups in arts, heritage, sports, parks, environmental stewardship, and community services areas. The plan was organized into five key themes: high quality parks and facilities for all; engaged and healthy community; vibrant and creative city; leader in environmental stewardship; and effective management of resources.

As the City of Surrey moves forward with this vision, key updates to the plan’s progress will be provided online at 10-year PRC Strategic Plan.

(The City of Surrey was unable to provide a photo of the award presentation)