Surrey’s first-ever outdoor skating rink at Civic Plaza transformed City Centre into a lively winter destination this season, attracting more than 43,000 visitors over its 12-week run. Launched as a pilot during the Surrey Tree Lighting Festival, the rink quickly became a popular gathering place that supported the City’s goal of creating a more vibrant entertainment district.
“Skating at Civic Plaza has been an incredible success for our community,” said Mayor Brenda Locke. “It created a place where residents, students, families and seniors could connect and experience City Centre in a new way. This is exactly the kind of dynamic public space we’re committed to building—and we’re excited to bring it back next season.”
The 12,000 sq. ft. tent sheltered the 4,000 sq. ft. ice rink and created a weather-protected winter experience with free skating, cozy seating, free, themed weekend programming, family-friendly games, and live music presented by FVDED in the Park. Located beside Surrey Central Skytrain station, Skating at Civic Plaza encouraged Surrey residents and visitors from across the region to stay longer, explore the surrounding area, and rediscover Civic Plaza as a community space.
With clear evidence of public enthusiasm and strong demand for more activations in the area, the outdoor rink is planned to return next winter. City staff will refine and expand next season’s activation based on lessons learned and public feedback from the pilot year.
“This project showed what’s possible when we create exciting, people-first public spaces,” Mayor Locke said. “Residents and visitors from across the region want more opportunities to gather, celebrate and enjoy our urban centre. We’re excited to build on this momentum next winter and create even more opportunities for families and friends to make memories together.”
The success of the outdoor rink supports ongoing efforts to enhance recreation, culture, and year-round programming in and around Surrey Civic Plaza. The City will continue exploring ways to animate the plaza as a dynamic destination for residents, students, businesses, and visitors.
