Cloverdale officially has another honorary street name.
The honorary name “Guru Nanak Village Way” was officially unveiled at the corner of 64th Avenue and 175A Street July 22.
Mayor Doug McCallum, members of Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society, and many other MLAs, MPs, mayoral candidates, and other dignitaries were on hand for the official ceremony.
“I am very pleased to celebrate the installation of the commemorative ‘Guru Nanak Village Way’ sign in Cloverdale,” said Mayor McCallum. “This street will provide access to the Guru Nanak Diversity Village, a long-term care facility being built by PICS.”
McCallum said with more than 100,000 Sikhs living in the City of Surrey, naming this street after Guru Nanak reflects both the “multicultural mosaic” and the “rich Punjabi heritage” that the City of Surrey has to offer.
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“It is a celebration of our diverse cultures, communities, and their contributions towards making Surrey a truly inclusive city.”
PICS president Satbir Singh Cheema was over the moon with the unveiling of the sign, saying it was a “dream come true.”
When he first approached McCallum with the idea to add an honorary street name McCallum told Cheema, “Consider it done.”
Cheema said PICS had the idea to add the name Guru Nanak Village Way to 175A Street immediately after they decided to name their proposed long-term care home for seniors Guru Nanak Diversity Village—named after the founder of the Sikh faith.
“On behalf of PICS Society, our board and the larger community we represent, I want to express sincere thanks to Mayor McCallum and Surrey City Council for their leadership on this initiative,” added Cheema. “We are also thankful to them for demonstrating their solidarity and support, not just for the multicultural long-term care facility, but towards the South-Asian community and their contributions across Canada, especially in Surrey.”
John Aldag, MP for Cloverdale-Langley City, said the 125 beds the long-term care facility will provide were sorely needed in the area.
“We’re seeing huge investments in the Cloverdale area and it’s wonderful to be a part of it.”
Mike Starchuk, MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale, said when he first saw the development proposal six years ago, when he was a member of local government, he knew the care facility had to be built.
“This was something that was needed in the community, it was something that was coming to the community, and we opened it with our arms, just wide open,” Starchuk said.
Scott Wheatley, the executive director for the Cloverdale District Chamber of Commerce, thought both the care facility and the honorary street name were good ideas.
“There’s a great need for seniors housing, so building the Guru Nanak Diversity Village is great for the community,” said Wheatley. “I think renaming the street is a great idea too as it reflects the diversity of our community and gives a nod to the contributions of South Asians in the area.”
The 6400 block of 175A will give access to the Guru Nanak Diversity Village once its built and the secondary street name for 175A is in both English and Punjabi.
The official name of the street will remain 175A Street and would be used for addressing and all documentation, including business licensing, permits, and fire alarm monitoring.
No timeline was given as to when shovels will be in the ground for the long-term care facility.
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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