Although it hasn’t received enough funds from the provincial government to enhance its economy at a faster pace over the past few years, the city of Surrey has the potential to become the next great metropolitan centre in British Columbia, according to the Cultural Plan the city released in 2012.
The plan is divided in seven sections, having a wide range of interests for the city’s development: mapping of the facilities, organizations, artists and cultural workers, as well as a public art proposal and a current economy overview of the city.
Regarding facilities, the plan showcases Surrey’s “30 arts and heritage facilities, including 22 publicly operated and eight privately operated locations. Also, of the 22 public facilities only seven are purpose-designed specifically for Arts and Heritage functions. The other 15 have some spaces that are used for Arts and Heritage programs but are primarily intended for other purposes.” (See image above)
In the next section, the plan offers a list of over 120 organizations involved in arts and heritage activities as well as a list of arts and cultural workers – over 170, involved in all forms of artistic endeavours.
A challenge that could also be addressed is the one regarding the bad image of the city among the other cities in the Lower Mainland.
One of the strengths that’s highlighted is the city’s ongoing financial support for the arts centre, theatres, museum, archives, the Surrey Art Gallery, the Historic Stewart Farm and public art.
At the same time, for years Surrey has been one of the most dangerous cities in Canada, according to McLeans Magazine. Part of it is due to a high number of gang-related crimes, as showed in a survey by Statistics Canada.
And apparently the murders in Surrey have been, for a long time motive, for jokes. You can take a look at this informal post “enough with the Surrey jokes” on VanCityBuzz.
So part of the initiative found in the city’s Cultural Plan clearly presents a strategy for the future of the city (see the outcomes of the Plan in the end of this article).
Along with that, though, there’s a huge issue that needs to be taken care of: the city’s image. Surrey needs to move forward, and it has potential. But first there’s an urgency in making the city a better place to live.
This is the second in a series of articles examining Surrey’s drive to enhance the creative economy in the city. Part one is here.
