The City of Surrey has recognized 27 individuals, community groups, businesses, and projects for their contributions to the community.
The 2024 Civic Distinction Awards were given out at Surrey City Hall on Thursday (Nov. 14).
“It is an honour to acknowledge the individuals and organizations that are leading the charge in making Surrey a more beautiful, vibrant, and inclusive city,” Mayor Brenda Locke said in a city news release Friday (Nov. 15).
“We are incredibly fortunate to have remarkable people who make such a difference in lifting up our community. Their efforts not only pave the way for progress but also inspire others to get involved, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose among us all. Congratulations to all the recipients and thank you for your dedication and leadership.”
Held every four years, the awards recognize Surrey community leaders “who have made a major contribution to our community in their respective fields” in seven categories: Arts & Heritage, Beautification & Enhancement, Design, Environment, Heart, Mayor's Choice Award and Sport Tourism.
The award winners were recommended by committees for each category and endorsed by the mayor and council.
The biographies of 2024 Civic Distinction Awards winners are detailed in a post on surrey.ca.
The winners of the 2024 awards are:
Arts & Heritage Awards
• Nalini Bhui: Visual Arts
• Amarjeet Singh Vabhana: Performing Arts – Individual
• Surrey Jazz Nights: Performing Arts – Group
• Sikh Heritage BC: Heritage Education and Awareness
• Rizwaan Abbas: Heritage Preservation
Beautification & Enhancement Awards
• Cloverdale Murals Project: Impactful Placemaking Project
• Community Leaders Igniting Change (Kathleen Burke): Local Capacity Builder
• Neela Sugrim: Our City Community Champion – Individual
• Newton Strawberry Hill Green Team (Amarjit Boyal): Our City Community Champion – Group
Design Awards
• King George Hub - PCI Developments, Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership, van der Zalm + Associates: Award of Merit - Residential (Large-Scale)
• City Centre 3 - Lark Group, WA Architects Limited, van der Zalm + Associates: Award of Merit - Commercial & Industrial
• Totest Aleng: Award of Excellence - Landscape, Public Space and Infrastructure
• Judy Chartrand: Public Art
Environment Awards
• Deb Jack: Environment - Individual
• David Hancock: Environment - Group
Heart Awards
• Samantha Jack: Individual
• Muslim Food Bank (Azim Dahya): Group
• Guru Nanak Food Bank: Outstanding Achievement
• Amos Kambere: Lifetime Achievement
• Martin Rooney: Lifetime Achievement
Mayor's Choice Awards
• Dacious Richardson- Individual
• Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre (Kyla Painter): Community group or non-profit
• Beta Collective Coworking Space (Jason Wong): Business or Institution
Sports Tourism Awards
• Surrey FC- Mayor's Cup: Regional/ Provincial Event
• Wickenheiser Female World Hockey Festival – Wickfest Surrey: National / International Event
• Canada Cup International Softball Championship: National / International Event
In 2020, the inaugural awards were held online due to the COVID pandemic.
-With files from Tom Zillich
