Holland Park sits directly across from Surrey Central SkyTrain station and, since its 2009 redevelopment, has become the symbolic heart of downtown Surrey. It's where the city hosts its biggest events — the Surrey Fusion Festival (Western Canada's largest free multicultural festival, drawing 100,000+ people every July), the Surrey Tree Lighting Festival in December, outdoor movie nights in August, and a full summer concert series.
The park itself is about 10 hectares of open lawns, mature trees, a long reflecting pool, a children's water play area, and a covered outdoor amphitheatre. The design is deliberately urban and people-oriented — this isn't a wilderness park, it's a public square with grass. During the workday it fills with office workers from City Hall and SFU Surrey eating lunch under the trees; on summer evenings it fills with families from the surrounding high-rises.
For newcomers, Holland Park is the best place in Surrey to get a feel for how the city has changed. Ten years ago, this was just empty space next to the SkyTrain. Today, it's the only urban park in the Lower Mainland outside of downtown Vancouver that feels like a real downtown square. The Fusion Festival in particular is worth planning your summer around if you want to see Surrey's diversity in one place at one time.
How to get there
A 2-minute walk from Surrey Central SkyTrain station on the Expo Line. Cross Old Yale Road from the station exit.
Local tips
- The Fusion Festival in late July is Surrey's biggest event of the year
- Summer Friday evenings have free outdoor concerts
- The water play area is free for kids in summer
- Avoid the late-night hours — daytime and early evening are the good times