Surrey B.C: an aspiring planner's dream

The City of Surrey is in the middle of massive change.It'strying to create adense and walkabledowntown core from suburban sprawl.

For people like Paul Hillsdon, ayoung Surrey resident and aspiring city planner, it's an exciting time.

I've seen it transform from a very rural, suburban area, to a thriving city centre. It's exciting, but there are significant challenges that come with growth, at that pace.- Paul Hillsdon, Surrey resident and planning student

Hillsdongrew up in Cloverdale, an older neighbourhood in Surrey surrounded by farmland.

In 2008, at just 18 years old, he ran for Surrey City Council, on a platform of sustainable development. He's currently studying urban planning at UBC, and wants to stay in Surrey.

I think this is where the opportunity is. When I look at Vancouver, Vancouver's interesting but all the major issues have been tackled. It's been coasting for a while now. The downtown's built out, and affordability seems to be this issue that nobodycan solve. Whereas here, you're really building a city from the ground up.... and everybody wants to be in Vancouver, nobody wants to come to Surrey, so I feel like it attracts a unique personality.- Paul Hillsdon, Surrey resident and planning student

To Hillsdon, one of Surrey's challenges is public perception.

Surrey has a reputation among manyVancouverites and other British Columbiansas a dangerous place, associated withgang violence and street shootings.

Hillsdonsays there are problems in Surrey, but thereputation is overblown.

Alot of it tends to be isolated to one particular area of Surrey. The reporting on it makes a big difference, because I think it's public perception, more than the reality of an actual threat.- PaulHillsdon, Surrey resident and planning student

For a closer look at the crime and other challenges facing the Surrey neighbourhood of Whalley, we visit 'the strip' here.

Click the PLAY button above to hear the full interview with Paul Hillsdon.