The B.C. Vintage Truck Museum, Surrey’s heritage railway and the city’s oldest church are a few of the Cloverdale highlights served up to visitors for this year’s Doors Open event.
The fourth annual festival on June 27 encourages residents to explore their home town by sampling culture, history, art and architecture, recreational facilities, and places of worship – enjoying free activities and taking guided tours.
Thirty-nine unique sites – many in Cloverdale, along with City Centre, Bear Creek, and Newton – are participating by opening their doors to the public with free admission for the day.
Historic Christ Church, built in 1884, and its heritage cemetery is one of the doors open sites in Cloverdale, along with a newer landmark – Fraser Downs Racetrack and Casino, opening up the barns on the backstretch, home of standardbred horse racing.
Other local attractions include the Surrey Archives located in Surrey’s 1912 Municipal Hall at 17671 56 Avenue, where visitors can check out photos, maps, digital displays, oral history interviews and more.
The Tzu Chi Foundation’s Surrey Office is another stop, as is Firehall No. 8 at 17572 57 Ave. The Surrey Fire service began with the Cloverdale Volunteer Fire Brigade in 1928. Check out the historic engine and take a tour of the hall.
Over at the Surrey Museum, the Re-enactors who portray real-life Surrey pioneers will be on hand, and the museum’s curator will offer a behind-the-scenes peek at the collections.
In Veteran’s Square, check out information booths from the Cloverdale Library, the Cloverdale Rec Centre, Surrey Little Theatre, and the Surrey Historical Society, offering free walking heritage walking tours at 11 a.m. or 2 p.m.
Across Highway 10 at 176A Street, the Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society (17630 56 Ave.) will be inviting people to tour the replica Cloverdale Station and car barn. There will be free speeder rides and hourly tours. (Note: regular rates apply to the Interurban experience, departing at 10 a.m., 11:15, 12:30, 1:45 and 3 p.m.)
At Honeybee Centre, 7480 176 Street, step behind the scenes to learn about honeybees and watch beekeeping demonstrations, honey extraction shows and interactive presentations.
Park Play Palooza at Cloverdale Athletic Park kick starts the city’s free Park Play summer program for kids. Enjoy crafts, facepainting, gymnastics, rock climbing and dancing from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Most attractions are open from 11 a.m to 4 p.m.
The opening ceremony for Surrey Doors Open kicks off at 1 p.m. at the Newton Community Festival, and free bus and trolley transportation is available in City Centre, Bear Creek Park, Newton and Cloverdale, where a trolley will be running every 30 minutes (from 11 a.m.) between Surrey Museum Plaza, Christ Church and Surrey Centre Cemetery, Park Play Palooza, and Fraser Downs Racetrack and Casino.
There’s also a Cloverdale Honeybee route with a bus leaving every 30 minutes (from 11 a.m.) from Surrey Museum Plaza, the Fraser Valley Heritage Railway, B.C. Vintage Truck Museum, and Honeybee Centre.
For a full list of participating locations visit surrey.ca/doorsopen or at any Surrey library branch or recreation centre.
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