Retrofitting suburbia: Surrey Central City twenty years later

This research study investigates the Surrey Central City shopping mall retrofitting project located in central Surrey, B.C and the surrounding neighborhood within a 500-meter radius. The study area is part of a sprawling suburban region that has undergone significant changes since the redevelopment of the Surrey Place Mall in 2003. A mixed methods approach including analyzing development patterns and taking inventory of the existing built environment is used to critique the degree of consistency the mall retrofit project and surrounding area compares with literature-based goals and objectives of retrofitting suburbia over the past twenty years. Takeaways show that some progress has been made towards a more pedestrianized environment in the study area through piecemeal development projects and municipal infrastructure improvements such as divided bike lanes and improved public spaces. However, the present-day built environment around Surrey Central City does not conform to the principles and objectives of retrofitting suburbia utilized in the Surrey Central Mall project and instead continues to propagate vehicle-centric approaches of the past. These results suggest that integrating large-scale retrofitting projects into surrounding neighbourhoods is a complex task that requires more than simply focusing on one major element in the area. Recommendations for the City of Surrey include adopting a more proactive approach to implementing retrofitting principles to encourage a more inclusive, lively, and pedestrianized neighbourhood for residents and visitors, particularly within a region expected to experience continued growth and expansion.