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The North Surrey Public Art Walk is a self-guided tour you can enjoy at your own pace—typically taking about 60 minutes, depending on how long you linger at each piece. While we suggest a recommended route, feel free to explore the artworks in any order using our North Surrey Public Art Walk Map.
Wander through North Surrey, the vibrant urban core of our city, and discover a rich collection of public art. This thriving area highlights Surrey’s growth with its research centers, educational institutions, and revitalized civic hub. Be sure to look up, down, and all around—artwork graces parks, libraries, transit stations, and municipal buildings.
Throughout your walk, you’ll notice recurring themes of history, multiculturalism, transformation, and community. Many pieces honor the Indigenous peoples whose unceded Coast Salish territories we inhabit, including the Kwantlen, Semiahmoo, Katzie, and Tsawwassen First Nations.
If you’re starting at stop 1 near Civic Plaza, we recommend grabbing a coffee at one of three nearby cafés. Take Five Cafe inside Surrey City Hall serves a perfectly balanced caramel macchiato, while Prado Cafe in the Civic Hotel lobby offers a refreshing espresso tonic—a surprising blend of espresso, tonic, and orange, perfect for warmer days.
Stop 1 - Launch
Artist: David Robinson
Location: Civic Hotel
Launch, a striking sculpture suspended from the ceiling, greets visitors as they enter the lobby. Combining the solid weight of stone—a traditional European medium—with the form of a wooden canoe, the piece captures a delicate tension between the ancient, skeletal shape of the vessel and the unyielding passage of time pulling against it.
Each of the Civic Hotel’s 16 floors represents a different region of British Columbia, stretching from the Peace River in the northwest to the heart of Metro Vancouver. Every room is named after a city or landmark within that region and features images that reflect its local character. This unique installation is only accessible to hotel guests—offering an exclusive way to explore the province, one floor at a time.
Stop 2 - Together
Artist: Sophie Nielsen and Rolf Knudsen
Location: City Hall
Surrey’s City Hall features a public artwork inspired by the theme of democracy. The lead artists drew on the collective behaviour of animals—particularly how they work together to survive—as the foundation for the piece. Proposal drawings for the artwork have sparked comments from viewers, many of whom see the image of flying birds as a universal symbol of freedom.
Stop 3 - Terracotta Warriors
Location: Surrey City Centre Library
Just inside the entrance of Surrey Centre Library, two terracotta soldiers stand side by side — a cultural gift from Xi’an, China. These figures are part of a vast army of thousands dating back to the late 200s BCE. Discovered in 1974 by local farmers in Lintong County near Xi’an, the Terracotta Army was created to guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China.
Stop 4 - Marks
Artist: Liz Magor
Location: Surrey City Centre Library (third floor)
Installed on the third floor of City Centre Library, Marks is a group of four black silicone sculptures that resemble punctuation marks when viewed from above. At ground level, they appear abstract, inviting visitors to move among them and become part of the library’s narrative—a shared space for solitary acts like reading, studying, and reflection. Soft and warm to the touch, the sculptures bear subtle impressions of human bodies, symbolizing the diverse stories and presence of the community they represent.
Take a short stroll across Civic Plaza to the Surrey Central Skytrain Station – the entrance is at the corner of Central Avenue and City Parkway – and then look to the ceiling for your next art piece.
Stop 5 – The Sea Captain
Artists: Marianne Nicolson & John Livingston
Location: Surrey Central Skytrain Station
This large wooden sculpture, The Sea Captain, was inspired by a 19th-century Haida pipe carved by an unnamed master. It reflects how Indigenous artists of the Pacific Northwest portrayed colonial figures they encountered through trade. Reimagining this imagery, the sculpture explores the history of travel and immigration through an Indigenous lens. With arms outstretched in a gesture of giving or receiving, the figure symbolizes the ongoing relationship between newcomers, Indigenous peoples, and the land—rooted in peaceful and respectful exchange.
Hop on the SkyTrain for a quick ride to King George Station, then cross King George Boulevard to Holland Park to continue the North Surrey Public Art Walk.
Stop 6 – Underfoot yet Overhead
Artist: Karen Kazmer
Location: Skytrain Pillars in Holland Park
The Holland Park “Underfoot Yet Overhead” series draws inspiration from soil bacteria that decompose organic matter, returning nutrients and enabling new growth. Mounted on SkyTrain pillars, the colourful metal sculptures abstractly evoke these microbial forms, making the unseen processes beneath our feet vividly visible above.
Holland Park offers a verdant escape from the bustling city centre, serving as a gathering place for thousands each year. Since opening in 2008, it has hosted Surrey’s Olympic celebrations, music festivals, and the Fusion Festival, making it a vibrant hub for community events amid a tranquil, green setting.
Stop 7 – Floraforms & Seeds of Change
Artist: Bruce Voyce
Location: Holland Park
Throughout Holland Park, a series of large-scale metal sculptures inspired by flowers, leaves, seeds, and seedpods evoke edible and medicinal plants with deep significance in First Nations cultures. Titled “Seeds of Change,” these delicate yet striking forms harmonize the urban and natural realms, symbolizing the ongoing transformation and growth of our community.
Stop 8 – Were It Not For You
Artist: Glen Anderson
Location: Holland Park
A three-panel low relief sculpture adorns the central fountain wall in Holland Park, rendered in a joyful Art Nouveau style with hints of Asian ornamentation. Depicting the five elements—earth, air, fire, water, and space—the panels feature symbols like a curling fern frond, hummingbird, sun, and fish among flowing waves. This vibrant piece celebrates the life force and beautifully complements the park’s other nature-inspired artworks.
Be sure to stop and admire the “blooming river“—a stunning water feature and floral installation that flows from the central plaza toward King George Boulevard. Its large seasonal planters appear to “float” gracefully on the water, creating a vibrant, ever-changing display.
Stop 9 – Pebble Mosaics
Artist: Glen Anderson
Location: Holland Park
Pebble mosaic panels featuring mandala, wheel, and floral designs decorate walls and walkways in Holland Park. The largest, Dahlia, at the King George plaza entrance, celebrates the mandala’s symbolism of circle, community, and connection. Reflecting Surrey’s rich diversity—with over 45% visible minorities and 95+ languages spoken—these artworks honor the city’s vibrant multicultural spirit.
Wrap up the North Surrey Public Art Walk with lunch or a snack at King George Hub, where you’ll find a diverse mix of global flavours—from Japanese and Vietnamese to Australian and classic American diner fare. Try the fresh, flavorful banh mi sandwiches at Minh Sandwiches, paired with Vietnamese coffee or fresh beet juice. For brunch, Ruex Cafe offers elegant Australian-inspired dishes like Biscoff French toast, while Waffle House Diner serves comforting classics like chicken and waffles. Craving something different? Head to Jollibee for crispy fried chicken (try the spicy) or sweet Filipino spaghetti—and don’t miss their famous peach mango pie!
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Land Acknowledgement
We would like to acknowledge that the lands on which we work, play and learn, are on the unceded shared territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the q̓ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen), and SEMYOME (Semiahmoo) nations.
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