What started as a seasonal experiment reshaped how tens of thousands of people used Surrey Civic Plaza this winter and is now set to become a new annual civic tradition for the City of Surrey.
Over 12 weeks, more than 43,000 people enjoyed the first-ever free covered outdoor ice skating rink at Civic Plaza, located next to Surrey City Hall and Surrey Libraries’ Central Branch in Surrey City Centre.
The rink drew families, students, seniors, and commuters, many of whom stayed longer in the area after skating. It first opened on the weekend of Nov. 22, 2025, coinciding with the Christmas Tree lighting festival at the plaza, and then had its regular daily operations from Dec. 1, 2025, until Feb. 16, 2026.
Contained inside a large tented structure, the rink offered public skating along with free skate rentals, seating areas, family games, live music, and themed weekends. Its location next to SkyTrain’s Surrey Central Station and the bus exchange also made it an easy stop for both locals and visitors from elsewhere in the region.
Today, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said the activation led by the municipal government changed how people experienced the major public space.
“Skating at Civic Plaza has been an incredible success for our community,” said Locke in a statement. “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.”
Surrey Civic Plaza Ice Rink. (City of Surrey)
Surrey Civic Plaza Ice Rink. (City of Surrey)
With the pilot season now wrapped up, the City is planning to bring the rink back next winter, this time with changes based on what worked — and what did not — during its first run.
“This project showed what’s possible when we create exciting, people-first public spaces,” continued Locke. “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.”
Surrey Civic Plaza Ice Rink. (City of Surrey)
Last year, immediately south of Surrey Civic Plaza, the City’s North Surrey Arena and North Surrey Recreation Centre were demolished in preparation for the construction of a new major mixed-use, multi-tower office and institutional complex, including the new permanent facilities for Simon Fraser University’s Faculty of Medicine.
To the north, the City is also in the early stages of planning a new 10,000-seat arena to anchor its new entertainment district within the city centre, potentially replacing the BC Lions’ training facility.
Similar installations have already demonstrated this public space impact, most notably the long-running Robson Square Ice Rink and the newer Shipyards Skate Plaza in North Vancouver, both of which have become beloved winter destinations.
While Surrey’s rink was more modest in scale — compared with Robson Square’s 6,000 sq. ft. surface and The Shipyards’ 12,000 sq. ft. — it represents a step toward seasonal placemaking and the continued activation of one of Surrey’s main civic gathering spaces. Moreover, unlike the temporary installation in Surrey, the rinks at Robson Square and The Shipyards are permanent built-in facilities.
Surrey Civic Plaza. (Google Maps)