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‘Doors Open’ at Surrey venues Saturday, including 17 new ones

Annual event offers first public tour of city’s award-winning Biofuel Facility
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A Czech-built tank crushed four cars in the parking lot of the Cloverdale Legion during the Surrey Doors Open event in 2014. The demonstration was organized by local cadet groups and military equipment collectors. (file photo)

Several more doors will be open during an annual event in Surrey this Saturday.

The city’s free Doors Open event encourages people in the community to “discover the story behind every door,” with behind-the-scenes guided tours, entertainment, contests, prizes and more.

Seventeen new venues are featured this year, in addition to 13 returning venues, on June 9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Come by at 11 a.m. to join mayor and council in the official opening of the new South Surrey Operations Centre,” says a post at surrey.ca. “You can also stop by the world-class Biofuel Facility, ­the first of its kind in North America. This is the first time it has ever been open to the public.”

• RELATED STORY: Inside look at Surrey’s new $68M biofuel facility that turns food to fuel.

Also new this year, the future of LRT transporation in Surrey is explored at Surrey Operations Centre, with a vehicle on display.

Close to 5,000 people took in Surrey Doors Open last year.

(STORY CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO)

Participating Whalley-area sites this year include Bear Creek Park Train & Mini Golf, Central City Brewers & Distillers, Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre, City Centre Library, City Parkway Studios, Di Reggae Cafe, Forsyth Park, Health & Technology District, Maranatha Canadian Reformed Church, Sprite Multimedia, St.Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church, Surrey Biofuel Facility, Surrey City Hall, Surrey Nature Centre and Ukrainian Orthodox Church of St.Mary and Viva Care Medical Clinic.

Cloverdale venues include A&T Equestrian, Cloverdale Library, Fraser Valley Heritage Railway, Harness Racing BC, Honeybee Centre, Surrey Animal Resource Centre, Surrey Archives, Surrey Fire Service Hall No.8, and BC Vintage Truck Museum.

In Newton, doors will be open at Surrey Amateur Radio Training & Operations Centre and Surrey Operations Centre, with South Surrey sites at Historic Stewart Farms, Semiahmoo Arts and South Surrey Operations Centre.

For transportation, visitors can explore Doors Open venues on their own or take advantage of a free “hop-on, hop-off” shuttle bus at designated venues in Cloverdale.

“Free shuttle buses will be running approximately every 45 minutes from the Hop-On, Hop-Off Zone in Cloverdale,” says the city’s event website. “Please note that our shuttles cannot accommodate booster seats or car seats for children.

The bus will start at 56A Avenue and 176A Street and shuttle between Surrey’s Heritage Railway and Surrey Animal Resource Centre. Venues within walking distance of the zone include Cloverdale Library, Surrey Archives and Surrey Fire Service Hall No.8. For details, visit surrey.ca/culture-recreation/11056.aspx.

The inspiration for Surrey Doors Open stems from origins in France where the first Doors Open (La Journee Portes Ouvertes) took place in 1984. The idea soon began to spread to neighbouring countries and has since expanded around the globe.



Tom Zillich

About the Author: Tom Zillich

I cover entertainment, sports and news stories for the Surrey Now-Leader, where I've worked for more than half of my 30-plus years in the newspaper business.
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