Clayton Community Centre signage outside

Parks, Recreation & Culture Strategic Plan

Explore the future of our parks, recreation and culture, as outlined in the award-winning Parks, Recreation & Culture Strategic Plan.

The Parks, Recreation & Culture (PRC) Strategic Plan is a blueprint for determining PRC facility and service decisions until 2027.

The plan is a forward-looking strategy that identifies the greatest needs and opportunities for our residents, and presents a vision of a healthy, green, inclusive community, where individuals, culture and the environment thrive.

The PRC Plan will guide future decision making while allowing the City to be responsive to changing needs and demographics. The plan has two primary purposes: to set direction and to guide investment.

Parks Division

The Parks Division plans, develops and maintains the City’s extensive park system. The Division plays a key role in the stewardship of the natural environment and the engagement of our residents, through the delivery of a variety of outdoor programs, services and events. The plan includes 49 recommendations for parks, including the development or expansion of 45 parks across the City.

Community and Recreation Division

The Community and Recreation Services (CRS) Division is responsible for the operation of a variety of community and recreation facilities, as well as the delivery of programs and services to support lifelong health, well-being and engagement. The plan includes 36 recommendations for CRS, including new community centres, ice rinks and program expansion across the City.

Culture Division

The Culture Division is responsible for the operation of a variety of arts, heritage and cultural facilities as well as the delivery of programs, services and special events to support a vibrant and engaged community. The plan includes 73 recommendations for cultural services, including new community art spaces across the City, an expansion to the Cultural Grants Program and an Interactive Art Museum in City Centre.

Public engagement

A comprehensive community engagement process was used to identify and prioritize the service and facility needs of Surrey residents and stakeholders. Efforts were taken to ensure a broad range of residents across geographic areas and demographic groups were consulted, including ideas fairs, surveys, workshops, focus groups and community meetings.

In total, feedback from more than 5,000 individuals and more than 250 community groups was considered in creating this plan.

Key documents

Awards

In spring 2018, the PRC Strategic Plan won Gold in the Excellence in Policy Planning - City & Urban Areas category of the Planning Institute of British Columbia's annual awards. 

Later in 2018, the plan also won the Respect for Diversity, Inclusion and Culture category of the International Association of Public Participation's Core Value Awards.

Future engagement opportunities

Success in delivering the strategic objectives of this plan relies on the continued involvement of the public and stakeholders as community partners. A sustained dialogue with stakeholders, through regular monitoring and updating of the plan, will assist the City in meeting expectations.

Two updates of this plan will be undertaken: an initial review in late 2020 at the end of the “short term” time frame, and a second in late 2023 at the end of the “medium term” time frame. Community engagement opportunities will be offer during these plan updates.

Implementation

Full implementation of the plan is estimated at $357 million (2018) in new one-time capital (includes $51 million in self-funded capital) and $26 million in new annual operating funding. These funds will cover the costs to design, develop and operating all the facilities, infrastructure, parks, programs and services within the plan. 

Learn about some of past projects:

Current and future projects are outlined on our Capital Projects page.

Contact

For more information about the PRC Plan, email parksrecculture@surrey.ca.