Looking to tour Surrey City Hall? Chances are you'll have to wait a bit.
Tour bookings fill up quickly, "so we suggest submitting requests 2–3 months in advance," says a post on the City of Surrey's website, surrey.ca.
On weekdays, 90-minute tours are offered to school groups, seniors, newcomers to Surrey and others who want a closer look at city hall operations.
Now, a virtual tour has been launched as a 17-minute video on Surrey's Youtube channel with an aim of offering more flexibility and greater accessibility to students across the city.
The in-person and virtual tours both offer an overview of City of Surrey operations, history and a look at council chambers, Centre Stage theatre and Traffic Management Centre, where traffic flow is monitored.
The virtual tour "aligns with the School District 36 curriculum and is designed to provide an immersive and interactive experience," with the help of a 28-page "Kid's Guide to Surrey City Hall," posted on surrey.ca as a PDF. The student workbook includes colourful drawings, a crossword puzzle, stats, trivia and a quiz about Surrey.
The virtual tour can be viewed at any time, allowing classrooms to explore city hall at their own pace.
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke says our "future leaders and voters" should be given the chance to learn about local government "and the direct, daily impact it has on the citizens of Surrey," she stated in a news release. "I invite teachers throughout the city to take advantage of the resources we have to offer and enrich their classroom experience.”
