City of Surrey to build an Indigenous Carving Centre this year

Artistic rendering of the South Surrey Indigenous Carving Centre. (City of Surrey)

Construction will begin next month on an Indigenous Carving Centre located at Elgin Heritage Park, also known as the Historic Stewart Farm, in South Surrey.

On Monday, Surrey City Council finalized the contract for the construction of the pavilion-like structure as a showcase carving venue, where the public can come learn and explore the art and history of Indigenous carving.

You might also like:

The project was planned in consultation with the Katzie, Kwantlen, and Semiahmoo First Nations. The municipal government received $400,000 in grant funding from Heritage BC and a $20,000 grant from the Friends of the Surrey Museum and Archives Society to support the construction costs.

“The South Surrey Carving Centre will be a welcome addition to the cultural offerings we have in Surrey,” said Mayor Doug McCallum in a statement.

“The Carving Centre will be an important space that supports Indigenous cultural practices. I am glad that Council has been able to move so quickly on this project and I would like to thank our partners Heritage BC and Friends of the Surrey Museum and Archives Society for their generous support.”

The carving centre at Elgin Heritage Park is expected to reach substantial completion in August 2022. The municipal government is also planning a second venue in North Surrey.

Artistic rendering of the South Surrey Indigenous Carving Centre. (City of Surrey)

You might also like: