Once again Cloverdale is hosting a big Canada Day celebration at the Cloverdale Millennium Park which has been renamed Bill Reid Millennium Park. The Millennium Park is located on the corner of 176th Street and 64th Avenue.
The gates open at 10am and the festivities end around 10:30pm with the fireworks.
This year's featured performers are Blue Rodeo at 9pm. More information on the entertainment line up can be found here http://www.surrey.ca/canadaday/42.aspx
In past years over 100,000 people have been in attendance so the big question is where to find parking in a town that's going to become a traffic nightmare. Free parking at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds, enter off 60th Avenue, east of 176th Street. They usually open up the racetrack for parking. This usually fills up at some point in the afternoon on July 1 and the lot is closed. People also look for parking west of 176th Street in the subdivision between 60th Avenue and 64th Avenue. There is a park and a school in the area and the gates are open for cars. Lord Tweedsmuir on 180th Street and 60th Avenue has the gates open for parking too and not too many people park here until its time for the fireworks. It's a good spot to sit on the football field and watch them from.
Surrey's fast moving parking enforcement officers are all over Cloverdale on Canada Day making big bucks in fines. Make sure you don't park in a 2 hour parking zone if you're going to be away from your car longer than that. Other normal rules of the road apply. I see cars with tickets because they parked too close to a stop sign or they parked the opposite way from the traffic direction or they parked in a no parking zone. Don't even think of parking in the Cloverdale Crossing Mall across the street from the Millennium Park. They put up big signs at each entrance warning people there is no special event parking. And they hire security guards to watch where people are going when they get out of their car. If you go into a business, no problem. If you walk across the street, they'll call a tow truck. Don't risk parking, going into Tim Horton's and then cross the street with your goodies. The security guards might not see you, but if you leave your car there too long it'll be towed.
So there you have it. Plenty of free parking around Cloverdale, just do it legally.
Now for the big traffic nightmare part around Cloverdale, getting out. If you don't want to see the fireworks, then get moving. If you stay for the fireworks getting out of Cloverdale requires lots of patience. Around 10pm the police close off 176th Street between 57th Avenue and 64th Avenue. This is due to pedestrian safety. The streets will be clogged with people walking back to their cars. For some reason drivers think it's a good idea to head into one of the subdivisions and go around in circles and then end up back where the street is closed. Your best bet wherever you are is to head east to get out of Cloverdale even if its a bit out of your way because most everyone else is heading west. Drive up to 184th Street. From there head to either Highway 10 or Fraser Highway or further along if that suits your destination better. The farther away you get from Cloverdale the lesser the traffic, so don't try to navigate any of the subdivisions close to the fairgrounds unless you like circling back to where you started from.
Happy Canada Day!
Showing posts with label fireworks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fireworks. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Monday, June 30, 2014
Cloverdale Canada Day Party July 1 2014
Once again Cloverdale is hosting Surrey's big Canada Day bash at the Millennium Park on the corner of 176th Street and 64th Avenue.
The festivities start at 10am and continue until 10:30pm or until the fireworks end.
There'll be performers and amusement park rides and other activities going on all day. For more information, see Surrey's Canada Day web page http://www.surrey.ca/canadaday/default.aspx
With 100,000 attendees showing up at past Canada Day celebrations, the best option is to walk if you live close enough. Or take transit. For everyone else, the big question is where to park. The most convenient place is the Cloverdale Fairgrounds, parking lot entrances off 60th Avenue between 176th and 177B Streets. They open up the racetrack for lots more parking. Even with hundreds of parking spots available on the grounds, they'll probably all be spoken for by mid-day. Parking is free. Other parking options are the residential streets west of 176th Street between 60th and 64th Avenues. The parking lot at Lord Tweedsmuir High School is open but mostly the people parking there are the ones catching the fireworks at the end of the day.
Whatever you do, don't park in the Cloverdale Crossing Shopping Centre on 64th Avenue across the street from the park. The mall puts up signs at the entrances warning people not to leave their cars there to attend events or they'll be towed. The mall hires security guards who watch where people go when they get out of their cars. If you go to a business to buy something, no problem. If you park and walk across the street to the Canada Day celebrations, you might be hiring a taxi for the drive home.
Happy Canada Day everyone!
The festivities start at 10am and continue until 10:30pm or until the fireworks end.
There'll be performers and amusement park rides and other activities going on all day. For more information, see Surrey's Canada Day web page http://www.surrey.ca/canadaday/default.aspx
With 100,000 attendees showing up at past Canada Day celebrations, the best option is to walk if you live close enough. Or take transit. For everyone else, the big question is where to park. The most convenient place is the Cloverdale Fairgrounds, parking lot entrances off 60th Avenue between 176th and 177B Streets. They open up the racetrack for lots more parking. Even with hundreds of parking spots available on the grounds, they'll probably all be spoken for by mid-day. Parking is free. Other parking options are the residential streets west of 176th Street between 60th and 64th Avenues. The parking lot at Lord Tweedsmuir High School is open but mostly the people parking there are the ones catching the fireworks at the end of the day.
Whatever you do, don't park in the Cloverdale Crossing Shopping Centre on 64th Avenue across the street from the park. The mall puts up signs at the entrances warning people not to leave their cars there to attend events or they'll be towed. The mall hires security guards who watch where people go when they get out of their cars. If you go to a business to buy something, no problem. If you park and walk across the street to the Canada Day celebrations, you might be hiring a taxi for the drive home.
Happy Canada Day everyone!
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Cloverdale Canada Day Party July 1, 2013
The City of Surrey and Cloverdale host Canada Day celebrations at the Millennium Park on the corner of 176th Street and 64th Avenue. It's a free event from 10am to about 10:30pm or whenever the fireworks end. There will be entertainers and singers all day, amusement park rides, about 50 exhibitors/vendors, and food concessions.
The headline act, musical group Platinum Blonde, will take to the stage at 9pm, the last act of the night. When they're done the fireworks show starts.
For more information about the Canada Day celebrations, check their website http://www.surrey.ca/canadaday/default.aspx
Now on to the stuff people really want to know about - where to park and how to get around Cloverdale, or this busy intersection, especially once the fireworks have ended!
Free parking at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds. Enter off 60th Avenue at 177B Street. They open up the racetrack for cars to park there. Limited parking next door at Greenaway Park, about 20 spots, but by this time its a fair hike to get to the Millennium Park.
Don't think about parking at the old Cloverdale Mall on the corner of the Cloverdale Bypass between 57th and 58th Avenues. They're building there, or will be. So far only ground work done. There's a big fence around the property. Off 58th Avenue there's about 30 parking lots in 2 different areas that aren't fenced off.
Most people find parking spots on the streets, usually in the subdivision between 60th and 64th Avenues, and 168th and 176th Streets. In other words the area directly across the street and west of the Cloverdale Fairgrounds and Millennium Park.
The parking lot at Lord Tweedsmuir High School, on 180th Street, just north of 60th Avenue, is open and there are lots of places to park here. Mostly people park here in the evening to catch the fireworks show. The school's football field on the hill overlooking the park and fairgrounds, is prime viewing for the fireworks.
Whatever you do, do not park in the Cloverdale Crossing Mall, on the other side of the street from the Millennium Park on 60th Avenue. They have signs up saying no event parking and security guards on duty. They are watching people who park and if they leave the property they call in tow trucks. Don't take a chance.
Getting out of Cloverdale is a bit of a nightmare. Likewise for traffic who have no intention of taking part in Canada Day festivities and are just in the unfortunate position of driving along 176th Street after 10pm. Last year the police shut down 176th Street and/or the Cloverdale Bypass (depends which part of the road you're on what its called) between Highway 10 (56th Avenue) and 64th Avenue. Likewise they shut down 57th Avenue, 58th Avenue, and 60th Avenue for any traffic planning to drive down one of those streets and turn onto the Cloverdale Bypass or 176th Street. That was a smart move because two years ago they only shut it down at 58th Avenue and traffic ended up in subdivision hell, going in circles, and ending up at a police blockade and going back the way they came from.
The streets are shut down because 100,000 people are leaving Millennium Park and pedestrians are all over the road. Safety issues.
So don't try to do anything smart driving around the subdivisions west of 176th Street thinking you'll beat the crowds of traffic and get out of Cloverdale faster. 20,000 other drivers are thinking the same thing. There are cul-de-sacs, dead ends, and streets that curve and wind in these subdivisions, and don't get you where you want to go.
My best suggestion is wherever you are head east like you're going to Langley and get yourself at least to 184th Street and away from the mass bedlam of tens of thousands of drivers. From 184th you can turn north and get yourself to the Fraser Highway which will get you back to 176th Street, or a better plan is to drive south. Highway 10 won't be too bad an option, but if you're going to South Surrey or planning to catch Highway 99, drive down 184th Street to 32nd Avenue and from there turn west. People aren't thinking of taking the scenic route and going up to 184th, but its only 8 blocks or so out of the way. Going a couple of kilometres out of your way and getting out of Cloverdale instead of trying to stick within a couple of blocks of Cloverdale and snake through car-jammed streets of the subdivisions where everyone is looking for a fast way out, will get you home faster.
Now what about traffic that just happens to be on 176th Street at that time of night and are surprised by the roads shut down. If you are driving north on 176th, which is really the Cloverdale Bypass at that section, at Highway 10/56th Avenue the road will be blocked by the police. Turn left and drive to 168th Street. Don't be tempted to turn down 60th or 64th Avenue. Bad choice. The police are waiting and will turn you back where you came from. Try to stay on 168th as long as you can. If you're heading for Highway 1, I'd recommend staying on 168th until at least 80th Avenue or 88th Avenue and then turning right to get back to 176th Street.
Or when you hit Highway 10, you can turn right and go up to 184th Street. Turn left and follow 184th to either the Fraser Highway or stay on it a little longer until it dead ends at 80th Avenue, then turn left and make your way back to 176th Street.
Hope my information helps! Stay safe. Pack your patience if you stay at the Millennium Park until the fireworks end. It takes a long time to move all that traffic out of the Cloverdale area.
The headline act, musical group Platinum Blonde, will take to the stage at 9pm, the last act of the night. When they're done the fireworks show starts.
For more information about the Canada Day celebrations, check their website http://www.surrey.ca/canadaday/default.aspx
Now on to the stuff people really want to know about - where to park and how to get around Cloverdale, or this busy intersection, especially once the fireworks have ended!
Free parking at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds. Enter off 60th Avenue at 177B Street. They open up the racetrack for cars to park there. Limited parking next door at Greenaway Park, about 20 spots, but by this time its a fair hike to get to the Millennium Park.
Don't think about parking at the old Cloverdale Mall on the corner of the Cloverdale Bypass between 57th and 58th Avenues. They're building there, or will be. So far only ground work done. There's a big fence around the property. Off 58th Avenue there's about 30 parking lots in 2 different areas that aren't fenced off.
Most people find parking spots on the streets, usually in the subdivision between 60th and 64th Avenues, and 168th and 176th Streets. In other words the area directly across the street and west of the Cloverdale Fairgrounds and Millennium Park.
The parking lot at Lord Tweedsmuir High School, on 180th Street, just north of 60th Avenue, is open and there are lots of places to park here. Mostly people park here in the evening to catch the fireworks show. The school's football field on the hill overlooking the park and fairgrounds, is prime viewing for the fireworks.
Whatever you do, do not park in the Cloverdale Crossing Mall, on the other side of the street from the Millennium Park on 60th Avenue. They have signs up saying no event parking and security guards on duty. They are watching people who park and if they leave the property they call in tow trucks. Don't take a chance.
Getting out of Cloverdale is a bit of a nightmare. Likewise for traffic who have no intention of taking part in Canada Day festivities and are just in the unfortunate position of driving along 176th Street after 10pm. Last year the police shut down 176th Street and/or the Cloverdale Bypass (depends which part of the road you're on what its called) between Highway 10 (56th Avenue) and 64th Avenue. Likewise they shut down 57th Avenue, 58th Avenue, and 60th Avenue for any traffic planning to drive down one of those streets and turn onto the Cloverdale Bypass or 176th Street. That was a smart move because two years ago they only shut it down at 58th Avenue and traffic ended up in subdivision hell, going in circles, and ending up at a police blockade and going back the way they came from.
The streets are shut down because 100,000 people are leaving Millennium Park and pedestrians are all over the road. Safety issues.
So don't try to do anything smart driving around the subdivisions west of 176th Street thinking you'll beat the crowds of traffic and get out of Cloverdale faster. 20,000 other drivers are thinking the same thing. There are cul-de-sacs, dead ends, and streets that curve and wind in these subdivisions, and don't get you where you want to go.
My best suggestion is wherever you are head east like you're going to Langley and get yourself at least to 184th Street and away from the mass bedlam of tens of thousands of drivers. From 184th you can turn north and get yourself to the Fraser Highway which will get you back to 176th Street, or a better plan is to drive south. Highway 10 won't be too bad an option, but if you're going to South Surrey or planning to catch Highway 99, drive down 184th Street to 32nd Avenue and from there turn west. People aren't thinking of taking the scenic route and going up to 184th, but its only 8 blocks or so out of the way. Going a couple of kilometres out of your way and getting out of Cloverdale instead of trying to stick within a couple of blocks of Cloverdale and snake through car-jammed streets of the subdivisions where everyone is looking for a fast way out, will get you home faster.
Now what about traffic that just happens to be on 176th Street at that time of night and are surprised by the roads shut down. If you are driving north on 176th, which is really the Cloverdale Bypass at that section, at Highway 10/56th Avenue the road will be blocked by the police. Turn left and drive to 168th Street. Don't be tempted to turn down 60th or 64th Avenue. Bad choice. The police are waiting and will turn you back where you came from. Try to stay on 168th as long as you can. If you're heading for Highway 1, I'd recommend staying on 168th until at least 80th Avenue or 88th Avenue and then turning right to get back to 176th Street.
Or when you hit Highway 10, you can turn right and go up to 184th Street. Turn left and follow 184th to either the Fraser Highway or stay on it a little longer until it dead ends at 80th Avenue, then turn left and make your way back to 176th Street.
Hope my information helps! Stay safe. Pack your patience if you stay at the Millennium Park until the fireworks end. It takes a long time to move all that traffic out of the Cloverdale area.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Canada Day Celebrations at Cloverdale's Millenium Park 2010
Just thought I'd throw it out there that once again Canada Day celebrations are happening at the Millenium Park in Cloverdale, corner of 64th Avenue and 176th Street on July 1.
Festivities begin at 10am and last until 10:30 with the fireworks show. There's entertainment all day long on the stage and various activities going on in the park including a midway. Admission is free but if you want to go on the rides or buy food at the concession stands, bring money with you. Many people bring picnic lunch and dinner and their lawn chairs and stay all day.
Parking available on the fairgrounds around the racetrack and casino. Whatever you do, don't park in the Clover Crossing Mall across the street. They have big signs up at all the entrances warning you if you park there and leave the property without your car it will be towed. They have security guards working the parking lot all day keeping an eye on where people are going after they park in the mall's parking lot.
Bottom line is if you are not planning to attend the Canada Day celebrations, this is a very good intersection to avoid all day.
More information at this web page http://www.canadaday.surrey.ca/default.htm
If you're interested in volunteering for the celebrations there is a link for volunteers at the above web page. You have about another week to sign up if interesting in volunteering.
Festivities begin at 10am and last until 10:30 with the fireworks show. There's entertainment all day long on the stage and various activities going on in the park including a midway. Admission is free but if you want to go on the rides or buy food at the concession stands, bring money with you. Many people bring picnic lunch and dinner and their lawn chairs and stay all day.
Parking available on the fairgrounds around the racetrack and casino. Whatever you do, don't park in the Clover Crossing Mall across the street. They have big signs up at all the entrances warning you if you park there and leave the property without your car it will be towed. They have security guards working the parking lot all day keeping an eye on where people are going after they park in the mall's parking lot.
Bottom line is if you are not planning to attend the Canada Day celebrations, this is a very good intersection to avoid all day.
More information at this web page http://www.canadaday.surrey.ca/default.htm
If you're interested in volunteering for the celebrations there is a link for volunteers at the above web page. You have about another week to sign up if interesting in volunteering.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Another Canada Day has passed
We started off Canada Day by going out to Kraus Berry Barms in Aldergrove for the free pancake breakfast. We rode our motorbikes out there. We arrived around 9:30am and the parking lot was already full of cars with several staff directing parking. Because we were on the motorbikes they parked us under a tree across from the store. Very nice. Then we stood in line for 20 minutes to get 2 pancakes topped with fresh raspberries and strawberry syrup. They were good, but they weren't worth the wait. We bought baskets of raspberries and strawberries, a loaf of cheese and asparagus, and raspberry shortcakes. All became part of our Canada Day dinner later on that evening. When we drove out the driveway was now packed with cars and there was no more room. People had to park on the street. There had to be more than a hundred cars on the property. Most of the people showed up with buckets in hand ready to pick their own berries after eating the pancakes. I'm sure Kraus made more money on July 1 than they will in the rest of the month put together. It was a great way to get lots of people to descend upon their farm, most of whom would be paying customers of some berry merchandise. But I think we'll pass next year on their Canada Day free pancakes.
The Cloverdale Millenium park had an estimated 125,000 people show up. We stayed well away from the intersection of 176th and 64th. At 10pm we drove up to Lord Tweedsmuir to watch the fireworks from the football field. We weren't the only ones with this idea. A lot of people were already there but there was plenty of parking. The fireworks were supposed to start at 10:15 but 10:35 was more like it. By that time we were being eaten alive by the mosquitoes and after about 5 minutes we headed back to the car, slowly so we could still watch. We were planning to drive back down 180th Street to 58th Avenue to head home, again trying to avoid the general area of the fairgrounds. By the time we left the police had blocked off traffic on 60th Avenue heading downhill towards Greenaway Park and the fairgrounds. The only options were to go up 60th or continue along 180th. I guess they wanted traffic to head to Highway 10 to get out of town, and bottom line that was probably the fastest way for the partygoers to go. We still had a pretty good view of the fireworks on the way home and we parked for awhile in the parking lot of the old Shop Easy. What do they call that grocery store now? Cloverdale Market? We could see the police were set up on the corner of 58th Avenue and the Cloverdale Bypass, so when the fireworks ended we drove alongside the old Cloverdale Mall and out 57th Avenue and home. No problem with traffic other than going a couple of blocks out of our way. One of the advantages of knowing your way around Cloverdale. However shortly after 11pm when the fireworks ended we were inundated with traffic coming along our quiet street. Cars were lined up way down the street, a huge traffic jam. Cars were driving down the no exit street alongside our house and then driving out again. Honking and yelling until well past midnight. I don't know what was up with so many cars. Our neighborhood is kind of a weird one that way, not set up for a lot of through traffic. No exit streets and if you go on long enough you end up in cowtown driving in circles. A lot of lost people trying to find a quick way out of Cloverdale. The unfortunate thing is most of them ended up turning back towards 60th Avenue, which I'm sure was jammed packed with wall to wall cars trying to get out of Cloverdale. Bad choice choosing our street as a get out town fast route.
The Cloverdale Millenium park had an estimated 125,000 people show up. We stayed well away from the intersection of 176th and 64th. At 10pm we drove up to Lord Tweedsmuir to watch the fireworks from the football field. We weren't the only ones with this idea. A lot of people were already there but there was plenty of parking. The fireworks were supposed to start at 10:15 but 10:35 was more like it. By that time we were being eaten alive by the mosquitoes and after about 5 minutes we headed back to the car, slowly so we could still watch. We were planning to drive back down 180th Street to 58th Avenue to head home, again trying to avoid the general area of the fairgrounds. By the time we left the police had blocked off traffic on 60th Avenue heading downhill towards Greenaway Park and the fairgrounds. The only options were to go up 60th or continue along 180th. I guess they wanted traffic to head to Highway 10 to get out of town, and bottom line that was probably the fastest way for the partygoers to go. We still had a pretty good view of the fireworks on the way home and we parked for awhile in the parking lot of the old Shop Easy. What do they call that grocery store now? Cloverdale Market? We could see the police were set up on the corner of 58th Avenue and the Cloverdale Bypass, so when the fireworks ended we drove alongside the old Cloverdale Mall and out 57th Avenue and home. No problem with traffic other than going a couple of blocks out of our way. One of the advantages of knowing your way around Cloverdale. However shortly after 11pm when the fireworks ended we were inundated with traffic coming along our quiet street. Cars were lined up way down the street, a huge traffic jam. Cars were driving down the no exit street alongside our house and then driving out again. Honking and yelling until well past midnight. I don't know what was up with so many cars. Our neighborhood is kind of a weird one that way, not set up for a lot of through traffic. No exit streets and if you go on long enough you end up in cowtown driving in circles. A lot of lost people trying to find a quick way out of Cloverdale. The unfortunate thing is most of them ended up turning back towards 60th Avenue, which I'm sure was jammed packed with wall to wall cars trying to get out of Cloverdale. Bad choice choosing our street as a get out town fast route.
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