Surrey’s Heritage Rail will host a special celebration of Surrey’s first responders on Canada Day weekend.
It was guest experience director Stephen Plant’s idea to start a new annual tradition.
“We wanted to do something special around Canada Day weekend,” he said. “My thoughts were, we should salute a group of people in our neighbourhood who might not be getting enough attention.”
Immediately, Surrey’s first responders came to mind.
For the inaugural celebration, the Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society will be presenting a certificate of appreciation to Cloverdale’s Fire Hall No. 8, which is located a mere 350 metres away from Cloverdale Station, on Saturday, June 29.
The ceremony, scheduled for 11 a.m., will be accompanied by the Surrey Firefighters Pipe & Drum Band.
First responders who identify themselves to heritage rail volunteers will receive a complimentary train ride ticket on the Saturday, and they and their family will get a tour of the Frank Horne Heritage Discovery Centre as well.
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The public is welcome to come and watch the presentation, or to check out the station during the day-long celebration, which will feature live music and volunteers dressed in period costumes.
Cloverdale Station offers train rides on a fully restored interurban rail car — the 55-minute round-trip takes passengers from Cloverdale to Sullivan Station and back again.
Visitors can also learn about the history of B.C.’s interurban rail in the Frank Horne Heritage Discover Centre. The museum houses rail cars undergoing restoration, as well as a self-propelled velocipede and a speeder that visitors can ride.
Cloverdale Station, located at 17630 56 Ave., opens at 9:30 a.m. and closes after the last train returns at about 4 p.m. For more information on Surrey’s Heritage Rail, visit the Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society’s website at fvhrs.org.
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