How do you shape the future while, at the same time, honouring the past?
It’s a question Paul Orazietti is asking himself in his role as executive director of the Cloverdale BIA. It's also one he’s asking others—residents, landowners, those in the Cloverdale Community Association (CCA), and the Cloverdale District Chamber of Commerce—as it relates to future development in Cloverdale and, especially, the so-called “Bourassa property” on the corner of Highway 10 and 180th Street.
As an active member of both the BIA and the CCA, Orazietti said it’s “increasingly clear” that local history needs to be celebrated and shared and incorporated into future planning and development—both residential and commercial.
He shared his thoughts on future development, being driven by the changing town landscape, with the Cloverdale Reporter via email—notably the sea change that will occur once the new hospital and cancer centre is up and running (currently sometime after 2030).
The hospital, south of Highway 10, is going to transform the area. Orazietti said the big, open field up the road from it—on the northeast corner of Highway 10 and 180th Street—could play a big role in the next phase of Cloverdale’s development.
“This historically significant property, once home to Arthur and Irene Bourassa, is now owned by the Marathon Group, who have begun early discussions with the City of Surrey about a future development,” Orazietti wrote. He added the goal is “to create a thoughtful, forward-thinking project that complements the character of Cloverdale’s historic town centre.”
What that future looks like is still up in the air, he noted, but as plans for development take shape, he said those in the community should make their voices heard.
“Residents and community leaders are advocating strongly for the Bourassa legacy to be respectfully acknowledged,” Orazietti explained. “The desire is not only to recognize the original owners and their deep contributions to Cloverdale, but also to ensure that green space is incorporated into the design—providing both a tribute to the past and a gift for future generations.”
Orazietti revealed that as the CCA, BIA, and Chamber work together, the priority will be a robust community engagement intertwined with development.
“The Bourassa property stands to become a cornerstone of regional healthcare infrastructure,” he explained, adding that it could support “housing or facilities for future medical professionals and (help) to build a strong foundation for healthcare excellence in Surrey and beyond.”
Orazietti said the former landowners, Arthur and Irene Bourassa, share a link to healthcare and deserve to be recognized in some capacity.
Cloverdale historian Roger Bose noted the Bourassas made their home on a 15-acre estate at New McLellan Road and Pratt Road.
“Though they had no children of their own, they were devoted to their community,” Bose noted. “After Arthur’s passing in 1985, Irene took steps to ensure their legacy would endure.”
Part of that legacy involved giving the Bourassa estate to the Surrey Memorial and Royal Columbian Hospital Foundations.
“This generous act led to the creation of the Irene and Arthur Bourassa Endowment Fund, which has since generated over $500,000 to support the purchase of state-of-the-art medical equipment for both hospitals,” Bose added. “Arthur and Irene Bourassa's lives were defined by dedication, compassion, and a deep-rooted love for Cloverdale. Their enduring legacy continues to enrich the community they cherished.”
For more info on how to have your voice heard in Cloverdale’s future development, contact the BIA or the Cloverdale Community Association.
—With files from Roger Bose’s forthcoming history book “Cloverdale: From Pioneer Settlement To Town Centre.”
