People lined up for free ice cream during the launch of Surrey’s PARKit program Monday (May 6) at Civic Plaza, outside city hall.
The event celebrated the return of summer street furniture on the plaza and games including table tennis, cornhole, ring-toss and jenga.
PARKit is advertised as “Surrey’s public space animation program that supports vibrant public spaces.” From May to September, the installations can be found at Surrey Civic Plaza, Hawthorne Square in Cloverdale and at the corner of 137 Street and 73 Avenue in Newton.
Monday’s two-hour launch event included 300 cones served from a Rocky Point Ice Cream truck. Staff from city hall and nearby public library were quick to line up for the free frozen scoops starting at 11:30 a.m.
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Long lineup for free ice cream at launch of Surrey’s PARKit summer program, at Civic Plaza. Mostly city hall and library staff, looks like. Rocky Point ice cream is damn good (from past tastings) @CityofSurrey 🍦 pic.twitter.com/SFj2hJDBCA
— Tom Zillich (@TomZillich) May 6, 2024
Meantime, Surrey’s Our City campaign kicked off April 19 at LA Matheson Secondary, where students helped plant pollinator shrubs and flowers, cleaned up the surrounding school area and created ground stencil and fence art.
The Our City program, launched in 2023, is designed to empower residents to participate in neighbourhood improvement and beautification projects in Surrey. There are free cleanup kits, placemaking meetups at various places and grants of up to $3,000 to start neighbourhood-improvement projects. People can also borrow an event kit that includes a portable sound system, pop-up tents, folding tables and lawn games. Visit surrey.ca/ourcity for details.
Our City’s placemaking meetups launch May 8 at Hawthorne Square (“fun festival flags,” 4:30 to 6 p.m.), with other events June 15 at Evershine Park (ground stencils, 5:30 p.m.), June 28 at City Centre (easy fence art, 1 p.m.), July 5 at Bear Creek Park (fence embroidery art, 1 p.m.) and July 12 back at Hawthorne Square (giant chalk art, noon).
Neighbourhood cleanups are planned July 8 at Holly Park and area, July 22 at Serpentine Greenway, July 30 at Hillcrest Shopping Centre and Aug. 16 in downtown Newton, all from 1 to 3 p.m.