Calling all futurists: Cloverdale is ready for its make-over
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Updated: November 10, 2009 5:22 PM
Wanted: your brilliant vision of the future of downtown Cloverdale.
The gateway to historic Surrey is one of five town centres included in a new design contest launched by the City of Surrey that runs to Jan. 6. Newton, Fleetwood, Guildford and Semiahmoo are also on the list.
Mayor Dianne Watts said she hopes the TownShift: Suburb into City competition will draw interest from architects, planners, entrepreneurs and average citizens from Surrey – and beyond.
"We really expect to get ideas from around the world and from people that wouldn't typically engage in a design-ideas program," she said at the program's launch.
The task is to create livable, walkable, sustainable, residential density around shopping malls, retail strips, rec centres or residential bungalows in areas designated as Surrey's urban growth hubs, along with Surrey Central City, site of an all-new downtown plan.
A total of $75,000 in prizes will be given to contest winners, who must submit ideas that incorporate livability, walkability, sustainability and connectivity.
The juried competition is the largest idea contest of its kind ever mounted by a Canadian municipality.
Cloverdale's theme is Round-Up – Building Affordability. Submissions for Cloverdale's site, the city-owned Cloverdale Mall, must incorporate affordable housing and seniors.
As recently as September, Coun. Surinder Rasode affirmed the city's commitment to securing a partner to redevelop the Cloverdale Mall.
“Each of Surrey’s town centres is different in terms of feel and scale, so the competition submission requirements are adapted to each, but the underlying challenge we’ve set is to make them more livable, walkable and sustainable and, just as important, more identifiable and visually engaging,” Watts said.
Entries will be showcased at an exhibit opening Feb. 4, with awards presented to the winners Feb. 24. For more details, visit www.townshift.com.
