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Welcome to Guildford
Wednesday, June 29th, 2005 by GetawayBC.com
Guildford is looking to make a big splash on the world stage in the near future.
The Guildford Community Partners Society is working closely with several government agencies to have an Olympic-sized pool built at the Guildford Recreation Centre.
Society president Rob Terris said the new facility would benefit not only the Guildford town centre, but also all of Surrey and the Lower Mainland.
“People would come from all over the world to train and swim here,” he said. “There will be huge opportunities to host B.C. events, Canadian events and international events.”
The spin-offs for Guildford are what really interest the GCPS. “The whole philosophy behind the project is to get the community actively involved,” Terris said.
That community had an estimated population in 2004 of 52,500. One of the largest in Surrey, Guildford sees its boundaries run along 144 Street up to 96 Avenue, before doglegging over to 84 Avenue up to the Langley border. Those perimeters run clear through and along the Fraser River, and encompass such neighborhoods as Fraser Heights and Tynehead.
There are a high percentage of single parents and youths in Guildford and Terris and his organization are working hard with the RCMP and other social agencies to ensure that the community is safe and thriving.
“We want to try to reduce risks and offer better options to raise awareness of the problems, to get the police out in walking patrols, in bike patrols,” Terris explained.
A new pool would go a long way towards adding pride to the mixture, and offering an exciting option for activities and social interaction.
While no start date for construction has been tabled, Terris noted that all parties involved are committed to seeing the project completed.
“We’re still working out the details,” he said. “But it’s coming along favorably.”
Guildford Notes:
The folks here sure are accommodating.
The Sheraton Guildford, long a landmark of the area, has been joined in the past year by the Sandman Suites and the Hampton Inn & Suites. Sleeping in style is obviously taken seriously in an area long considered one of the strongest retail sectors in Surrey.
That’s largely due to the Guildford Town Centre, one of the city’s largest malls, whose selection is augmented by neighboring businesses, strip malls and restaurants. Coming soon: a new auto mall adjacent to the freeway northwest of the Sheraton.
Guildford Highlights:
Surrey Chamber of Commerce
14439 104 Avenue
604-581-7130
www.surreychamber.org
It just makes good business sense to be a member of the Surrey Chamber of Commerce. Since moving away from its tourism commitments, the chamber has focused its considerable energy on encouraging the growth of the Surrey business sector. As the city’s collective business voice since 1918, the chamber, which is the third largest in the province, has a made a determined effort to be hands-on in its involvement with the numerous initiatives for members of the business community. Located within the chamber’s office is the Business Resource Centre, which offers one-stop business registration, name search/name approval registration and a wealth of information and support for businesses of all sizes. Special events, such as the Business Excellence Awards, employee appreciation events, keynote speakers for ongoing luncheons, the Police Officer of the Year awards and several others are held on a regular basis, providing both networking opportunities and resources.
Guildford Recreation Centre
15105 – 105 Avenue
604-502-6360
Anyone looking to validate how valuable the $11-million centre is to Surrey need look no further back than 2003 when it was awarded the prestigious B.C. Recreation and Parks Association Facility Excellence Award. That’s a whole lot of recognition. Adjoining the Surrey Public Library, the 65,000-sq.-ft. operation features three full-size tournament gymnasiums, a 1/8th-mile indoor running track, a 9,000-sq.-ft. cardio/weight room and fitness class space, massage therapy, and the very popular “Planet Youth” room.
Guildford Community Partners Society
Contact: Rob Terris, president, 604-582-3342
This organization was conceived with one purpose in mind – to make Guildford a better community to live in. Since 1984, the GCPS has attracted some of the strongest, most vibrant voices in Surrey to lobby for recreational facilities and anything else that would raise the quality of life in the city. Membership is $2 per year, or $5 for five years.