About Us
History Footprints
An ongoing project that memorializes the rich history of downtown Surrey. Take a walk through the stories this city has to tell.
Welcome to Surrey's History Footprints
In a time where misunderstandings across different social groups run high, it is more important than ever to recognize both the positive and negative history of Surrey in order to promote awareness, strengthen cultural bonds, and remind people of the deep historical record of Surrey.
History Footprints is not only important to remember the past, but it is also important to shape the present.
What is Surrey History Footprint?
History Footprints is an ongoing project that memorializes the rich history of downtown Surrey. Starting with 6 sites throughout downtown Surrey, visitors of each site will learn about its history through stories and pictures. Surrey is an ever changing city with diversity in its culture, people, and places.
History Footprints aims to celebrate these aspects of downtown Surrey that have shaped the area that stands today.
A Settler History
Therefore, it is important to acknowledge that currently, much of the information presented on this website is settler history, and that the project is not an exhaustive history of the area.
The land of Surrey is the traditional, unceded, ancestral territories of the Semiahmoo, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Kwanten, Qayqayt, and Tsawwassen First Nations.
We understand the important role that history plays in people's understanding of the world, and are deeply committed to ensuring that our project, especially as we continue to develop it, represents the diverse history of the area authentically and accurately without centering Eurocentric narratives.
Special Thanks
This project could not have been possible without the help of Chelsea Bailey and Stacey Gilkinson from Surrey Archives as well as Ryan Gallagher from the City of Surrey.
Many of the stories shared in History Footprints are indebted to community members such as Penny Priddy, Lucie Matich, and Lorene Oikawa, especially for their direction, advice, and feedback.
Exterior of Surrey Place Mall. The Bay is shown, along with cars in the parking lot. Surrey Place, [197-]. Courtesy of Surrey Archives, 60.15.
Central City
Surrey Place Mall - 1972
Central City mall used to be known as Surrey Place mall. Surrey Place mall has been described as having a big wood-carved SP logo on the mall entrance, along with a massive parking lot with sky-high lights.
Surrey Place mall opened in August 1972 (renamed to Central City shopping centre 30 years later), and included two large department stores, an automotive service centre, food supermarket and 47 speciality stores, including Simpson-Sears, Hudson's Bay and Super Valu. The two-storey mall was designed to allow consumers to observe activity in the mall as well as provide spaciousness for shoppers to freely move.
The food court at Surrey Place was a great place for fairs, events, and gatherings. Food Fair, 16 Mar. 2000. Cathy Jennings photo, Surrey 2000: Captured Time Collection. Courtesy of Surrey Archives, CT.041.03.
The food court at Surrey Place was a hub for fairs, events, and gatherings.
Skytrain Outside Sears at Surrey Place, 16 Mar. 2000. Cathy Jennings photo, Surrey 2000: Captured Time Collection. Courtesy of Surrey Archives, CT.041.01.
Fond Memories of Surrey Place Mall
Surrey Place mall was the place to be in the 1970s. Teenagers, children, and young adults made many memories playing, working, and hanging out in the mall. Near the mall today stood Whalley Exchange, which was renamed to Surrey Central Station in 1994.
Exterior view of Surrey Place Mall and Hudson's Bay Company, 17 Feb. 1975. Basil King photo, Columbian Newspaper Collection. Courtesy of Surrey Archives, 2003.0100.895.
Even when the mall was closed on Sundays, car clubs would set up a course in the parking lot where people would compete to see whose car finished the course the fastest.
Surrey Place parking lot, [196-]. W. W. Hastings Collection. Courtesy of Surrey Archives, WH.3014.
Bing Thom: An Architect with a Vision
Michael Heeney, who was the managing director of Bing Thom architects, wanted to build a mall for the people. As a community gesture, Surrey Place mall was prepared with an exhibit that showcased photos of the entire area of Surrey, allowing shoppers to view history through photographic memories. The exhibit was later donated to the Surrey Museum.
The architects and developers incorporated new ideas into the mall expansion while blending most of the original Surrey Place mall. The design was consumer-friendly, offering climate-controlled shopping with an outdoor feel.
The Expansion of Surrey Place Mall
On October 29, 1980, Surrey Place mall reopened after a major expansion. The mall was designed to be more airy and bright, featuring a dome made of glass and decorative wood squares, a large skylight, five new kiosks, and an abundance of plants. It became a community-oriented shopping center that aimed to serve Surrey's growing population.
Sources
- Based on memories and stories from a Facebook group called "We Grew Up in Surrey So We Remember".
- Jane K. Watts, "Surrey: A City of Stories", 2017.
- Surrey Leader, January 21, 1971, para 1 and 2.
- Early Surrey, "Photographic exhibit", November 2, 1980.
- Newspaper Title Unknown, 1980, para 19.
- Based on memories and stories from people in the Facebook groups "We Grew Up in Surrey so we Remember" and "I Grew Up in Surrey so I Remember".