The City of Surrey is home to a number of beautiful parks and picnic areas, making it an excellent place for families and individuals to spend quality time together. Some of the most popular parks include Bear Creek Park, Redwood Park and Unwin Park.

Unwin Park in Surrey Located in the heart of Newton, Unwin Park is one of the largest community parks in Surrey, offering baseball diamonds and soccer fields as well as a water spray park, basketball court and playground. The park is a destination for families across the lower mainland and has recently been recognized by BCRPA with the 2021 Provincial Award for Parks Excellence.

In early 2019, the Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities announced they would be building a 12,000 square foot universally accessible playground at Unwin Park as part of their Jumpstart Inclusive Playground Project initiative. This new playground is the City of Surrey’s largest inclusive playground and is designed to provide children with disabilities the opportunity to play as equals.

It features double-wide ramps, seamless rubber surfacing, quiet play space and more. The playground also includes a wheelchair-accessible We-Go-Round, Friendship Swing and Roller Slide.

Creating spaces where residents of all ages and abilities can enjoy active play together is at the heart of Surrey’s vision for a thriving, healthy community that everyone feels welcome. This inclusive park is a great addition to the family-friendly amenities at Unwin Park including a newly renovated water park, outdoor pool and picnic shelters that are now popular spots for groups and families to gather no matter what the weather is doing.

The Jumpstart playground has been constructed as part of the Play Finds A Way movement, a five-year, $50 million commitment from Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities to help kids overcome physical barriers to sport and recreation. ”By playing, whether through organized sport or with friends on a playground, kids are given the opportunity to develop valuable life skills such as confidence, courage and teamwork,” said Scott Fraser, president of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities.

This is the sixth Jumpstart playground built by the charity to date.

As an integral part of the Play Finds A Way movement, the Jumpstart Playground is designed to foster learning and growth opportunities for children with disabilities. The new 12,000 square foot playground includes a variety of features that promote imaginative and collaborative play. It is also the first inclusive playground in Canada to feature a water spray park.

“This new playground will set the standard for inclusive play in BC and around the world. It will allow children of all ages and abilities to come together to play, learn and grow,” says Neal Aven, Manager of Parks at the City of Surrey.

The new playground was officially opened on Tuesday, October 8 by Scott Fraser, president of Canadian Tire Jumpstart, and Stephanie Dixon, a two-time Paralympic swimmer. The event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony and was attended by local dignitaries and members of the community.

Green Timbers Urban Forest Park in Surrey