Going Green at Civic Hotel

Civic Hotel is proving a big draw for people who want to travel as sustainably as possible. The building uses in-slab heating to avoid the typical energy-intense forced-air system. Its ventilation system relies on design to circulate fresh air. Its use of technologies like solar window shades and its siting within a major public transit hub are other of the features designed to help minimize our guests’ carbon footprint.

Sustainability isn’t the only shade of green being offered to guests of the Civic Hotel. We’re proud to be situated in what has often been called the “City of Parks,” where 200 parks and green belts encompass almost 2,500 hectares (6,000 acres) of green space. A wonderful range of these natural environments can be accessed quickly and easily by guests from our location here in City Centre.

So if you’re starting to see double after a day staring at your screen and want to stretch out with a long run or a Frisbee game, or even try out some “forest bathing” to relax, we’ve got the kind of green you’re looking for. All you have to do is grab a jacket, put on your shoes and head out to any of the following nearby parks.

Green Timbers Urban Forest

Green Timbers Urban Forest, located just minutes by transit or vehicle from the Civic Hotel, offers the ultimate immersion in a serene, natural forest environment showcasing some of BC’s renowned coastal ecosystem. Hikers, runners and naturalists will love the 10 kms of trails that pass through 183 hectares (452 acres) of forest, past naturalized meadows, wetlands and a lake.

If fishing is your preferred form of relaxation, you can pick up a rod and practice your casting in Green Timbers Lake, which is regularly stocked with fish. Fishing rods can be borrowed free of charge from the nearby Surrey Nature Centre. Visitors can also meet at the Nature Centre each Saturday for regularly scheduled guided walks through the park.

Holland Park

Located just a few minutes by foot from the Civic Hotel, Holland Park is a quiet, contemporary urban park that’s ideal for a quick sandwich between meetings with Innovation Boulevard associates or stretching out on the grass and staring at the sky. Its ten hectares (25 acres) offer a mix of paved paths meandering across grassy lawns, seasonal horticultural and light displays and picnic facilities. It also features an elaborate water fountain and pool.

Holland Park is also a place for those who love to engage with cultural activities. Public art displays can be viewed throughout the park, while an open air amphitheatre showcases popular musical acts or films when the weather turns warm. It is also the site of Surrey’s multicultural Fusion Festival, where you can see everything from traditional Chinese dance to bhangra and First Nations performances.

Bear Creek Park

If your idea of decompressing from a steady diet of client presentations involves a lot of active play, then Bear Creek Park is the place to go. Located minutes from the Civic Hotel by transit or vehicle, Bear Creek Park is one of Surrey’s most popular outdoor spaces. It offers a running track and playing fields, an 18-hole mini golf course, a miniature train ride, and a large outdoor pool.

There’s no end of nooks and quiet corners to explore in this large, well-used park, including footbridges and walking trails across meadows and through a pleasant urban forest. Or check out the park’s two streams where, during the fall season, visitors can watch salmon return to their spawning grounds. You can’t get a more British Columbian experience than this!