Surrey Updates

[Shift]

If Doug McCallum was mayor the past 2 terms - City Hall would likely still be located at Hwy 10 & King George. There would probably be no Civic Plaza, and the City Centre revitalization underway today would probably be nowhere near as on track. Surrey First was visionary. Now we're back to a politician stuck in the 90's.

Fortunately:

• 6 tower projects are currently under construction
  
• An additional 18 have already been approved that will get underway during McCallum's term. So the momentum created by Surrey First won't come to a halt (but it will look as though McCallum is reigning mayor during boom times with all the construction to start over the next 4 years - approved by Surrey First).
  
• An additional 20 tower projects are under application in the initial stages of review. Will have to see how those fare under this new Council.
  

[Bombaman]

He once said the new city hall was a waster of money and he also said he was hurt because his proposed hospital was cancelled by Surrey First back then. He is just a sore loser.

Originally Posted by Shift

If Doug McCallum was mayor the past 2 terms - City Hall would likely still be located at Hwy 10 & King George. There would probably be no Civic Plaza, and the City Centre revitalization underway today would probably be nowhere near as on track. Surrey First was visionary. Now we're back to a politician stuck in the 90's.

Fortunately:

• 6 tower projects are currently under construction
  
• An additional 18 have already been approved that will get underway during McCallum's term. So the momentum created by Surrey First won't come to a halt (but it will look as though McCallum is reigning mayor during boom times with all the construction to start over the next 4 years - approved by Surrey First).
  
• An additional 20 tower projects are under application in the initial stages of review. Will have to see how those fare under this new Council.
  

[Bombaman]

Mccallum was voted out in 2005. Surrey back then around 2007 and now. Mind you, the infinity tower wasn't completed until 2008. Shift is right, there would probably be no Civic Plaza, and the City Centre revitalization underway today if Doug McCallum was mayor the past 2 terms.



















The last photo was taken by Shift. I couldn't find the latest photo on Google, so I used it instead.

[Shift]

Originally Posted by Bombaman

He once said the new city hall was a waster of money and he also said he was hurt because his proposed hospital was cancelled by Surrey First back then. He is just a sore loser.

Surrey would also still have its 90's logo if he was in the last 2 terms. None of the new branding - future lives here - would have happened.

[Bombaman]

Maybe another branding, "let's stuck in the 90's"

Originally Posted by Shift

Surrey would also still have its 90's logo if he was in the last 2 terms. None of the new branding - future lives here - would have happened.

[Cypherus]

Kind of strange arguments above. The google streetview images show 2007 which is already 2 years after McCallum was voted out in 2005, which supports the suggestion that still no development was going on by the Surrey First team.

Also, you still had years where low development in Surrey was going on until really 2011 (6 years later after McCallum) when it all picked up. This was due to the 2008 global financial crisis which became an impediment to growth especially in MetroVan. This had nothing to do with McCallum or even Surrey First as well. So you cannot say from 2007 onward, McCallum, if still elected, would not have transformed Surrey.

Surrey also had to respond to demand pressure driven by new residents, lower interest rates, and developers eying Surrey's vacant lots, especially after 2009. It cannot be considered reasonable that Surrey First did something original by responding to the demand side line on the curve and allowing some hi-rises...

Even now, McCallum's plan is to continue development around transit corridors (hence the City core).

"High-density town centers built around SkyTrain stations will create walkable mixed-use communities where residents can live without owning a car. Car sharing cooperatives – like Car2go – and bicycle sharing should be featured options."
https://safesurreycoalition.ca/smart-development/

“We’re going to pause development and we’re going to turn to smart development,” he added. “Smart development means densifying along corridors.”
https://www.surreynowleader.com/municipa...elect-mccallum-has-big-promises-to-keep/

With that said, I am interested to see what this platform means, but all told it suggests to expect the same level of development in the central core with a focus on mixed density hi rises, connections to civic services, and more controlled development outside of the core.

[Blease]

Dianne Watts established and built city centre in Surrey, during McCallum’s previous reign in Surrey, most developments in the city consisted of stripmalls.

[Bombaman]

Can you tell me what he had accomplished during 1996-2005? The nine years that he was a mayor? He wouldn't had lost to Surrey First if he was so great. Yeah, he would had done better than Dianne Watts if he was given another 9 years according to you. BTW, developments and urban planning take time, do you expect all the new buildings would pop up within 2 years?

Back in the Saddle: What Surrey can expect from Doug McCallum 2.0

Originally Posted by Cypherus

Kind of strange arguments above. The google streetview images show 2007 which is already 2 years after McCallum was voted out in 2005, which supports the suggestion that still no development was going on by the Surrey First team.

Also, you still had years where low development in Surrey was going on until really 2011 (6 years later after McCallum) when it all picked up. This was due to the 2008 global financial crisis which became an impediment to growth especially in MetroVan. This had nothing to do with McCallum or even Surrey First as well. So you cannot say from 2007 onward, McCallum, if still elected, would not have transformed Surrey.

Surrey also had to respond to demand pressure driven by new residents, lower interest rates, and developers eying Surrey's vacant lots, especially after 2009. It cannot be considered reasonable that Surrey First did something original by responding to the demand side line on the curve and allowing some hi-rises...

Even now, McCallum's plan is to continue development around transit corridors (hence the City core).

"High-density town centers built around SkyTrain stations will create walkable mixed-use communities where residents can live without owning a car. Car sharing cooperatives – like Car2go – and bicycle sharing should be featured options."
https://safesurreycoalition.ca/smart-development/

“We’re going to pause development and we’re going to turn to smart development,” he added. “Smart development means densifying along corridors.”
https://www.surreynowleader.com/municipa...elect-mccallum-has-big-promises-to-keep/

With that said, I am interested to see what this platform means, but all told it suggests to expect the same level of development in the central core with a focus on mixed density hi rises, connections to civic services, and more controlled development outside of the core.

[EhJay]

Originally Posted by Blease

If express busses serve 104 Ave and King George so well, why can’t Fraser Hwy get a bus too. What’s so special about Langley that it deserves a an expensive mode of transit like skytrain, while Newton and Guildford are expected to make do with busses?

Fraser Highway can get a B-Line, but it involves Langley allowing for bus cut lanes (I'm not sure the proper name) essentially before and after intersections so that the bus can move through quicker. So far, Langley hasn't really given Translink the ability to do this even though TransLink said it would pay for it all.

[Aroundtheworld]

Originally Posted by EhJay

Fraser Highway can get a B-Line, but it involves Langley allowing for bus cut lanes (I'm not sure the proper name) essentially before and after intersections so that the bus can move through quicker. So far, Langley hasn't really given Translink the ability to do this even though TransLink said it would pay for it all.

That's not what I have heard from a Langley city councillor. I have heard they are doing everything in their power to make sure that B-Line is as efficient as possible.

[Westbased]

Personally, I don't mind a LRT line from City Centre out to Guildford centre. It wouldn't make any sense for such a small skytrain extension and LRT would provide good and easy movement of people.

Skytrain continuing down to Newton would be nice, with future extensions out to South Surrey/White Rock all the way down King George.

My reason: the King George corridor can easily support much higher density all along its route with a large variety of housing types and a lot of density versus the route down Fraser.

For example, Fraser Highway has already seen a ton of new townhouse right along the roadway not leaving space for as many higher density mixed-use station nodes versus a ton of large parcels for large mixed-use and smaller mixed-use along King George.

Surrey is going to over take Vancouver in population in the coming years, if we want to be a world class city we need to build out our own transportation links before worrying about connecting to Langley.

Imagine skytrain moving from 64th Avenue all the way to King George station. All along the line we have 4-10 story buildings with high rises around stations and office spaces around spaces etc.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by Westbased

Personally, I don't mind a LRT line from City Centre out to Guildford centre. It wouldn't make any sense for such a small skytrain extension and LRT would provide good and easy movement of people.

Skytrain continuing down to Newton would be nice, with future extensions out to South Surrey/White Rock all the way down King George.

My reason: the King George corridor can easily support much higher density all along its route with a large variety of housing types and a lot of density versus the route down Fraser.

For example, Fraser Highway has already seen a ton of new townhouse right along the roadway not leaving space for as many higher density mixed-use station nodes versus a ton of large parcels for large mixed-use and smaller mixed-use along King George.

Surrey is going to over take Vancouver in population in the coming years, if we want to be a world class city we need to build out our own transportation links before worrying about connecting to Langley.

Imagine skytrain moving from 64th Avenue all the way to King George station. All along the line we have 4-10 story buildings with high rises around stations and office spaces around spaces etc.

A Skytrain spur to Guildford is not too short- the YVR Spur on the Canada Line is of comparable length.

[officedweller]

There were big plans for Surrey when SkyTrain was extended to King George in 1993(?).

But when the markets did not materialize for the condo projects - they stalled.

Intrawest was building 4 condo towers at Gateway - only 3 were built (Cornerstone 1 & 2 , and Observatory 1 (Observatory 2 was not built)
- and on the office side, only the Gateway Station Tower was built.

Here's the plan from the marketing brochure from Cornerstone (built 1994):


https://bccondos.net/uploads/2011/06/02/brochure_w_a.pdf

and some of the write-up from the day:


https://bccondos.net/uploads/2011/06/02/brochure_w_a.pdf
https://bccondos.net/13353-108th-av

and the brochure from Observatory built 1995.


https://bccondos.net/uploads/2011/03/16/brochure-w.pdf


https://bccondos.net/10899-w-university-dr

[Westbased]

Here we go!

2 Tower application right beside Gateway station for 518 residential units. IBI Group is the architect...not sure who the developer is.

Site was sold June 2017 for $11.5 million. It's a 64,000 square foot parcel.

https://apps.surrey.ca/Online-Development-Inquiry/?year=18&seq=0388

[osirisboy]

Finally

[EhJay]

Anyone go to the swearing in / first council meeting tonight?

If not, you can view what's left here http://surrey.ca.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=1&embed=1

[Ramsay]

Originally Posted by Shift

If Doug McCallum was mayor the past 2 terms - City Hall would likely still be located at Hwy 10 & King George. There would probably be no Civic Plaza, and the City Centre revitalization underway today would probably be nowhere near as on track. Surrey First was visionary. Now we're back to a politician stuck in the 90's.

By voting for McCallum, citizens of Surrey have confirmed that they are truly the architects of their own misery. So much progress and vision was undone by an emotional decision.

Expect LRT to connect Granville island and Mt.Pleasent /Olympic village in the future, and people will call it genius!

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by Ramsay

By voting for McCallum, citizens of Surrey have proven that Surrey is the architect of their own misery. So much progress and vision undone by an emotional decision.

Expect LRT to connect Granville island and Mt.Pleasent /Olympic village in the future, and people will call it genius!

Because they are going with sky train instead?? Not sure how that undoes anything


And Lrt to Granville island would be stupid

[scryer]

Originally Posted by Ramsay

By voting for McCallum, citizens of Surrey have confirmed that they are truly the architects of their own misery. So much progress and vision was undone by an emotional decision.

Expect LRT to connect Granville island and Mt.Pleasent /Olympic village in the future, and people will call it genius!

???

...Rest your fingers, boo.

[Blease]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

Because they are going with sky train instead?? Not sure how that undoes anything


And Lrt to Granville island would be stupid

Los Angeles, easily one of the wealthiest and most developed cities in the US and the world uses LRT exclusively and they’ve never regretted their decision.