In Surrey, even a paintbrush can shape how a city feels.
The Our City 2025 campaign wrapped up with a pop-up project in City Centre, where youth volunteers transformed a dull walkway into a vibrant, welcoming space. Bright colours, fresh patterns, and a sense of play replaced grey concrete.
At first glance, it’s a feel-good update. But look closer and it carries a bigger message: who gets to shape the future of Surrey?
Mayor Brenda Locke called it a celebration of creativity and community pride. “Big changes can start small — and our residents are making it happen,” she said. And she’s right. Small details often decide how a city feels: a mural that makes a street less cold, a planter that softens concrete corners, a painted walkway that signals “this space belongs to everyone.”
Youth at the Centre
The striking part of this project wasn’t just the colours. It was who held the brushes. Surrey’s young residents stepped up, proving that shaping the city doesn’t just belong to planners, politicians, or developers. It belongs to them too.
For some of these volunteers, it was the first time they saw their effort visibly change a public space. That kind of ownership creates not just better streets, but more connected citizens.
Why It Matters Now
Surrey is growing at record speed. Towers rise, new roads stretch out, and debates over transit dominate headlines. But beneath those large-scale projects, the city’s identity is also being built in smaller, more human ways.
The walkway in City Centre may seem minor, but it’s a statement: Surrey isn’t waiting for the future to be designed from the top down. Residents — especially youth — are already painting it from the ground up.
The Bigger Picture
The lesson is simple but powerful: a painted walkway isn’t just decoration. It’s a reminder that Surrey’s story belongs to everyone — and sometimes, big change begins with small strokes of colour.
