White Rock Sun - [ Local ]

Members of the White Rock RCMP detachment and citizens joined forces yesterday afternoon to raise money for the Special Olympics. The group jogged/walked from uptown to the waterfront next to the museum.

Mayor Baldwin took part in the walk/run and congratulated the detachment and supporters on their efforts. The torch relay which makes its way across the Lower Mainland this week according to the mayor has earned over 3 million dollars for this very worthwhile organization.

BC Culture Days has announced the winners of the 2017 Ambassador and Awards program. Each ambassador will be awarded $1,000 towards the production of their own Culture Days activity and will act as a spokesperson for BC Culture Days, leading up to the Culture Days weekend September 29, 30, and October 1.

Besides activating their local arts, culture, and heritage communities, ambassadors will be engaging the public in discussions around arts and culture and encouraging them to participate behind the scenes with B.C. artists, curators, heritage experts, creators and other creative people over the Culture Days weekend. Ambassadors will play an important role in B.C.'s communities, sharing arts and culture related stories through the Culture365 blog page, social media, TV, and radio.

Congratulations to local artist ROXANNE CHARLES who was chosen to be one of the seven ambassadors from across the province after review of their applications and proposed projects by the BC Culture Days Steering Committee:

Wetter Is Better

The City of White Rock has commissioned Vancouver artist JEFF KULAK to create one of a kind art pieces throughout the city. The images created by KULAK are only visible when the surface they were painted on is wet. Next time you are heading out around town have a bottle of water handy to reveal the interesting images.

Artist JEFF KULAK with attendees of reveal of artwork at Bayview Park - Pat Petrala photo

60th Anniversary temporary VISUAL investment – the image is visible only when wet. It lasts several months and is biodegradable. Canadian Artist Jegg Kulak encountered months of wet days and could not install the work till this past week. Replicated method –with a distinct spray adhesive, as used in Seattle, and image is made with a stencil. It needs to dry for 48 hours. Brochure useful in locating the items. Us local gals from the Dec 4 workshop creating stencils are pleased to see our image work used in spots.

Standoff between Surrey RCMP and shooting suspect in South Surrey

Surrey RCMP spent hours in a stand-off negotiating with a suspect after a shooting in South Surrey Saturday night. The suspect has been taken into custody without incident.

Officers were called to the scene on 176th St. near 13th Ave. at 7:15 p.m. Traffic was blocked between 8th and 16th Avenues until shortly after 12:30 a.m.

Investigators believe that this incident is targeted and involves parties known to each other.

Witnesses in the area reported seeing another male stagger out on to 176th street covered in blood, which caused the RCMP to be called. The shooting victim was transferred to Peace Arch Hospital where he remains in stable condition.

UPDATE

Charges have now been laid against a man who was involved in shooting and subsequent standoff with Surrey RCMP this past weekend in South Surrey.

On June 3, 2017 at 7:15pm, Surrey RCMP was called to a report of a shooting in the 1300 block of 176th Street. Police found one man who had been shot allegedly by another man who was still in the area. Both the men were known to each other. The victim was transported to hospital and is in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries. Police contained the area while a police negotiator attempted to contact the suspect. At approximately 11:50pm the suspect was taken into custody without further incident (see previous release).

Now charged with Aggravated Assault and Intent To Injure While Using A Firearm is Kenneth TURPIN, 70 years old, of Surrey. TURPIN, who is not known to police, remains in custody.

Oceanside Yacht Club & Public House

The Joseph Richard Group is bringing two of Canada’s most talented chefs to White Rock beach this summer as part of an ongoing effort to help revitalize the area. The company is re-branding it’s popular waterfront location, The Hemingway, to the new Oceanside Yacht Club & Public House. As part of that re-brand, JRG is also launching a pop-up ice cream shop inside Oceanside called Sweet Republic, which will open June 4. The wild new gourmet dessert menu at Sweet Republic was designed by JRG Director of Culinary Operations, Chef Matthew Stowe (Top Chef Canada winner) and JRG Corporate Chef David Jorge (MasterChef Canada winner).

Thanks in part to their local ties and vision, The Hemingway, located on Marine Drive, across the street from the White Rock Museum, has been a bright spot on the strip since it opened four years ago. With a wide range of fun weekly events, the public house has thrived as a vibrant community gathering place, where people can watch the big game while enjoying classic pub offerings, craft beers, and craft cocktails.

With refinements to the public house menus recently brought in by Chef Stowe, as well as JRG’s newest S+ L Kitchen & Bar having just opened at Grandview Corners in South Surrey, Moreno says the time was right to fine tune JRG’s strategy in the South Surrey-White Rock area with a rebranding of The Hemingway and the opening of Sweet Republic.

“As dedicated members of White Rock’s business community, we’re thrilled to play a role in promoting the Marine Drive strip,” said Moreno. “We think bringing the talents of Matt and Dave to the Strip will be a huge boost for the area, and changing The Hemingway’s name to Oceanside is a fitting tribute to our beautiful waterfront location.”

Located inside Oceanside, Sweet Republic will be a time-limited pop-up concept featuring an irresistible array of delicious ice cream desserts created by Chef Stowe and Chef Jorge. Together they’ve invented some amazing creations that combine soft serve ice cream with eye-popping ingredients like key lime curd, cotton candy, toasted marshmallows, and even bacon.

Opening on Sunday, June 4, Sweet Republic will be open every day from 11am to 8pm.

Statement from City Regarding Petition for Judicial Review

May 29, 2017
The City has filed a petition for judicial review application in the BC Supreme Court today, seeking review of the April 12th order of the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner to release certain documents relating to the City’s decision to purchase the water utility from EPCOR. As a result of s. 59(2) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the April 12th order is now stayed for 120 days.

The City did attempt to avoid the necessity of a judicial review proceeding by first asking the OIPC to re-open the inquiry which led to the Order on April 12. However, the OIPC declined to re-open the inquiry, which it advised the City of late in the afternoon on Friday, May 26. Therefore, as a result of its concerns about the effect of the Order as well as some of the conclusions drawn by the Adjudicator, the City determined that a petition for judicial review was in the best interests of the public.

As most people already know, the City acquired the water utility from EPCOR in 2015. However, the final purchase price for the utility has not yet been determined. The final purchase price is to be determined through negotiations or arbitration, in the event that negotiations are unsuccessful. The City’s priority has always been to ensure that its negotiations with EPCOR are not compromised by the release of any confidential information or documents relating to its strategy or financial analysis. Therefore, while Council has resolved to release to the public all City records relating to the EPCOR purchase once the final purchase price has been determined, it remains of the view that releasing the information now could be damaging to the City’s financial interests and therefore the interests of its taxpayers.

Police seeking stranger that assaulted young female

Surrey RCMP are warning the public about an incident that occurred in the Cloverdale area of Surrey earlier today, and appealing for any information that may lead to the identity of the suspect.

At 8:15 am on May 31st, Surrey RCMP was called by school officials at Sunrise Ridge Elementary after a student reported being touched by a stranger. A 13 year old girl on the way to school in the 18700 block of 59th Avenue, was approached by an adult male who got out of an SUV. The man asked her how old she was then touched her buttocks. The girl yelled at the man, ran to the school, and told staff right away. The suspect fled the area prior to police arrival and has not been located.

The vehicle is believed to have been in the area on previous days, also in the morning. The Surrey School District is sending a letter home with students to ensure parents are notified of this incident.

The suspect is described as a Caucasian male, 25 to 40 years old, 6’0” tall, with a slim build, wearing a blue sweater or hoody, khaki cargo pants, round glasses, and a baseball cap.

“If you have seen this vehicle in the same area in the morning hours of school days, we want to hear from you right away,” says Corporal Scotty Schumann. “Any information you have may help police identify the suspect in this assault.”

Students walking to school can heighten their safety by following a few simple steps:

· Don’t take short cuts. Use main routes and avoid lanes, forested or secluded areas
· Walk with friends
· Tell someone where you are going and when you will be back
· Phone home when leaving a friend’s house and say when you will be home
· Trust your instincts and your feelings
· Phone if you are going to be delayed, or if your plans change

Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers, if they wish to remain anonymous, at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.solvecrime.ca.

White Rock BIA Announcement

Former Manager, Communications & Technologies at Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Former Communications & Public Relations Specialist at Prospera Credit Union
Lives in White Rock, British Columbia
From Burns Lake, British Columbia

Right Neighbourly

Monday afternoon emergency vehicles raced to the White Rock waterfront. A call had come in that a young girl was in trouble in the water off of Kwomais Point between White Rock & Crescent Beach. Once the emergency crews reached the young lady who was in distress they were faced with the task of how to transport her back to the ambulance.

That is where a BNSF freight train came in. The train was flagged down and the ambulance crew and the young lady an ambulance crew were transported back to the boat launch area on the beach.

Hope we win but even if we don't,

I'm proud of our work and our courage.

A FEW THOUGHTS AS OUR HEARING COMES TO A CLOSE:

Our days in court are now finished and I need to take a moment to thank Ecojustice for the thousands of hours they have put into our litigation. What makes the journey with you even better is that you are actually really great people and I know that you believe in the work you have done for us. Thank you Harry, Karen and Fraser and to all of your staff! It has been an honour.

Thank you to Christine Dujmovich for having the courage to stand up as an individual and put your name down as an applicant. This was not an easy decision, I'm sure. Thank you for standing up for what you believe in and for joining us in court.

Also, a huge thank you to Kevin Washbrook and his group, Voters Taking Action on Climate Change, for being so amazing, and also to Dogwood for your unwavering support. So great to have gotten to know all of you.

A huge thank you also to the thousands of people I have met over the last four years who want to see us succeed. Many of you donated to our legal challenge, and others donated by giving us your time and energy. Couldn't have gotten as far as we have without your help. Thank you!

In addition, the Cities of Surrey and New Westminster (who joined us as intervenors in court) have my utmost respect. Thank you for putting yourselves out there Mayor Hepner, Mayor Cote, and Council from both cities. Thank you also for your strong legal team who brought significant insight to our litigation. The efforts of Surrey and New Westminster say a lot about the integrity of both cities because you could have done nothing but instead you chose to take a different route and support your residents. Amazing.

Thank you also to the numerous municipalities, MLAs, MPs, scientist, doctors (especially Dr. Frank James), businesses and environmental groups, as well as the Health Authorities, who all stood up and spoke up. The world needs more of this. Let me repeat that: THE WORLD NEEDS MORE OF THIS.

And now we must wait for the judge to come back with his decision, which could take up to 6 months. Regardless of the outcome, we need to remember that Fraser Surrey Docks originally intended to begin construction of their coal terminal in 2014, and three years later, that construction has yet to start. Realistically, with the way the world is going, it may never be built but only time will tell...

ORANGE WATER UPDATE

The city of White Rock is now on record stating the orange couloured outflow from a storm sewer system into Semiahmoo Bay 10 days ago was caused by increased levels of iron in the water.

The city claims the outflow did not cause any damage to marine life in the bay. To date the city has not identified the source or actual cause of the outflow.

The same problem occurred back in April 2013. The exact cause of that outflow was never clearly identified and neither was the source.

Train Whistle Cessation

For years residents along the White Rock waterfront have complained about the constant train whistles from the passing BNSF and AMTRAK trains. White Rock recently was ordered by Transport Canada to install lights and warning bells at all the crossings along the waterfront rail line. The City of White Rock is working with BNSF and AMTRAK to create new whistle and bell regulations.

In the Royal City New Westminster residents along the residential districts on the Fraser River have been pushing for years to have whistle cessation.

Wondering What Is Happening with The Five Corners Rebuild?

...so are the residents

It has been one year (May 15, 2016) when a fire broke out in the Five Corners district of White Rock. The blaze which has now been identified as arson destroyed the residences and the commercial outlets along Pacific Avenue.

One year later as the reconstruction moves slowly forward the former owner's of the commercial spaces have found new locations, yet the residents who lost their homes and belongings are still twisting in the wind.

The Sky Wasn't Falling After All

THE DRIVE is alive. Within the past month the vacant businesses along White Rock's waterfront have virtually all filled up. The sushi restaurant near the pier is under new ownership and a completely new improved look. Further down west Beach the JOLLY ROGER will soon open as the B.E.A.C.H. restaurant. The long vacant next door neighbour BOOSTER JUICE is preparing to open with new tenants.

Over on East Beach MOBY DICK has expanded into the vacant Indian restaurant location and work continues on the old Sandpiper Pub which will open soon as a Chinese restaurant.

The Passenger (and friends)

Local sculptor DON FRANCIS brought a pair of his stunning metal creations to the White Rock waterfront on the weekend.

Don Francis

Helping Hospice

l-r Master of Ceremonies Gordon Hogg/Walk organizers Lori Ishikawa & Tammy Ritchie/Hospice Executive Director Beth Kish

Hundreds of walkers turned out Sunday for the annual HIKE FOR HOSPICE. The walkers raised much needed funds to help support the operation of the new Hospice Home being constructed on 16a Avenue off of 156th street which will open Fall/Winter 2017.

South Surrey/White Rock Liberal candidate TRACEY REDIES congratulates former White Rock Mayor/councilor JUDY FORSTER on being the #1 individual fund-raiser for the walk. FORSTER announced she was inspired and walking in memory of her late husband BRAD who passed earlier this year.

Heart Of Our Community - Beats Again

Outgoing MLA Gordon Hogg was back to perform the ribbon cutting of the White Rock Farmer's Market which opened in the sunshine three weeks earlier this year.

The beautiful weather drew a record crowd and record number of vendors. Sundays in uptown White Rock in the town centre. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. every Sunday.

Me & Mae...and no one else?

Organizers of an all day concert in Semiahmoo Park over the weekend found out exactly that. Hurriedly friends of the organizer were running around town on the day of the concert trying to get people interested in attending. Social media sites like FACEBOOK did not promote the event until the day of the event as well.

Local country rockers ME & MAE were one of the bands who donated their time. The event was to raise funds for the victims of the burned out apartments above COSMOS restaurant due to the recent fire.

The Ties That Bind

BNSF staff have been hard at work this week on the White Rock waterfront replacing the old railway ties with newly creosoted ties.

First Look @ Final Stage

BOSA PROPERTIES have published photo-shopped images of how the corner of Thrift avenue and Johnston Road will look once they complete their final two towers on their property.

Stretching That Birthday

The city of White Rock carried on the time honoured tradition of stretching your birthday out. The city's 60th Birthday was the focus last evening at Centennial arena. The special VIP event capped off a day of family entertainment in the city's arena.

Semiahmoo First Nations Chief HARLEY CHAPPELL and council member JOANNE CHARLES dual drummed the opening ceremony honouring their neighbour's diamond birthday.

White Rock council members were in attendance. "Mr. O Canada" MARK DONNELLEY delivered a rousing version of our national anthem then led everyone in a giant sing a long version of Happy Birthday.

So Deserving

CONGRATULATIONS to Laura Cornale on her award for COMMUNITY HERO AWARD presented last evening at SOURCE'S BUSINESS FOUNDATION gala.

The day the Five Corner Fire ripped through the condos and commercial section on Pacific Avenue, LAURA quickly concluded she was out of business for a period of time, but her main concern were were customers and neighbours who had lost their homes and possessions. Within days LAURA had raised over $35,000.00 for our community.

LAURA'S COFFEE CORNER is open today on Pacific Avenue just East of her old location. Tell her how much you care.

Like A Phoenix Rising

Congratulations to the White Rock/South Surrey Hospice Society on passing over their initial goal for the 2017 capital building campaign. . The funds will be used to construct the new hospice centre located on 1`6a Avenue just off of 156th street near the Peace Arch Hospital. The new facility when complete will be home to the administration offices, counseling offices, the volunteer training program and support services and programs.

The projected total for the capital campaign fund drive was 2.1 million dollars. The society in their announcement noted the money raised came from donations big and small throughout the community as well as the revenue derived from the Hospice Thrift Store on 24th avenue. Of special note was an 11th hour donation made by local resident Margaret "Maggie" Rodgers who in her will left the society a considerable donation.

The new building will house the society's administrative offices, volunteer training program and grief support programs and services. It will be located within walking distance from a new residential care facility – created in partnership with Peace Arch Hospital Foundation, Fraser Health and the province – which will house 200 beds, including a 15-bed hospice residence.

How High's The Water?

Members of White Rock council and staff were on hand for the official ribbon cutting ceremony to start the water flowing through the all new Merklin water reservoir. The new reservoir will add over a million litres of water to the water storage system of the city of White Rock. With the addition of the new Oxford street reservoir the storage capacity of White Rock has now increased by 33%.

The plaque also named the former members of council who were sitting members during 2011-2014 when the decision was made to purchase our water system back from EPCOR of Edmonton.

The final purchase price of the water system will be decided by binding arbitration between EPCOR and the City of White Rock. There is no firm date at this time when that final sales figure will be released.

Happy Birthday To Us

The city of White Rock hosted a giant 60th birthday party for350 seniors Saturday the the White Rock Curling Club. STEPHEN QUINN host of the popular ON THE COAST afternoon drive show on CBC Radio capably handled the master of ceremonies duties. The afternoon ceremony was opened with a traditional coast Salish prayer delivered by Semiamhoo First Nations councillor JOANNE CHARLES.

Entertainment was supplied by BOBBY BRUCE'S tribute to Neil Diamond while ALYSSA NIELSEN wowed tha audience with her renditions of Patsy Cline selections.

Mayor Baldwin and White Rock council were joined by MP DIANNE WATTS and outgoing MLA GORDON HOGG at the ceremony.

The city of White Rock has another big all day fun event planned for the city's 60th birthday on April 29th at Centennial Arena.

Forging Ahead

White Rock council and senior staff hosted a Public Hearing?public meeting last evening at the White Rock Community Centre. Over the course of the evening 200-250 residents came and went as council listened to four Zoning By Law/OCP Amendment requests and a Phased Development application.

The first two items the addition of three suites at Evergreen Care Centre and a change to building practices of having developers install side mounted balcony guards passed quickly.

Then the two items that drew the majority of the crowd. First to be dealt with was the LANDMARK development in uptown White Rock on Foster/Martin streets was unanimously sent back to the planning department for more changes recommended by council. Minor in nature.

The meeting concluded with the highly contentious FORGE Properties 10 storey skyrise they wish to construct on Thrift Avenue next door to their last project The ROYCE. This application stalled the last time it appeared before council for consideration. Given it did not receive a seconder for the motion to proceed it was left in limbo. FORGE PROPERTIES reworked their application from 12 storeys to 10 storeys with no other changes and resubmitted.

When it came time to vote to give the third reading of Official Community Plan Amendment and the Zoning By-Law change the project was approved in a 4-3 in favour. The final stage will be the fourth reading at a future meeting of council.

Councillors Fathers/Chesney & Mayor Baldwin were not in favour of the project siting its lack of ability to fit into the existing neighbourhood.

The White Rock Coalition made up of councillors KNIGHT/LAWRENCE/MEYER/SINCLAIR voted in support of THE FORGE project.

White Rock Coalition

Winds Cause Tree To Fall On Car / Mother & Child Trapped Inside

Yesterday (Friday) at approximately 3:50 P.M. Surrey R.C.M.P. were called to 15000 Block of 86th Ave., Surrey, B.C. for a report of a large tree that had fallen on a vehicle in the driveway. Officers of the Surrey R.C.M.P. along with Surrey Fire Department, B.C. Ambulance Service, City of Surrey workers, were called to the scene. The vehicle, a Brown Toyota Camry was parked in the driveway, when a large tree was blown over in the wind, landing on the vehicle. There were two occupants in the vehicle a female driver, and a five Year old child, both residents of Surrey, B.C. The tree crushed the vehicle trapping the two occupants inside.

Surrey Fire Department, along with City of Surrey workers, B.C. Ambulance Service, Clover towing and officers of the Surrey R.C.M.P. worked to get the two out of the vehicle, and using rescue equipment and Air bags were able to pry the vehicle open sufficiently to free both persons. Both females were examined at the scene by B.C. Ambulance Service, and only had minor injuries.

Chalk Up Another One For Creep Catchers / Suspect charged in child luring investigation

Surrey RCMP arrested one man after he allegedly tried to lure a minor for a sexual purpose, and for making an arrangement with a person for a sexual offence involving a person under the age of eighteen.

On Monday April 3rd Surrey RCMP received a complaint of the aforementioned incident. An investigation was undertaken immediately by Surrey RCMP Special Victim’s Unit. Investigators arrested a suspect on Thursday April 6th.

Now charged is Kuljinder Singh BHATTI, 35 years old of Burnaby. BHATTI, who is currently in custody, is scheduled to appear in Surrey Provincial Court late Friday afternoon.

The allegations of assault involving this accused by a civilian associated with Surrey CREEP CATCHERS during the incident are still under investigation.

Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers, if they wish to remain anonymous, at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.solvecrime.ca.

Fire On The Drive - No Injuries

UPDATE APRIL 08, 2017

Fire officials have now confirmed the casue of Wednesday's fire was caused by candles left burning by an owner on their patio.

A fire broke out last evening on one of the balconies of the apartments located above Cosmos restaurant located in White Rock's West Beach area.

Fire crews were on the scene quickly and are being credited with preventing the fire from spreading throughout the entire structure.

Owners of the popular Greek restaurant GEORGIA and DIMITRI THEODOSAKIS were closing up for the night when they heard the fire alarm sound. COSMOS has been a popular restaurant for 40 years.

“We didn’t know where it was coming from so we opened the front door to see what was going on and we saw the flames from above and the broken glass coming down, so we quickly shut the door and we ran out through the back door because we do have gas lines inside the restaurant and were very afraid of the explosion.”

“We do have to commend the crews for the job they did when they first arrived. They got a good, quick knockdown on the fire which certainly helped to contain it to where it’s at now.”

Lemire says one person was taken to hospital to be checked over for smoke inhalation.

White Rock weightlifter Christine Girard set to win Olympic gold

Christine Girard has essentially won an Olympic gold medal in weightlifting five years and two children after she raised the heavy bars above her head in London.

The International Olympic Committee disqualified the 2012 Games silver medalist, Russia’s Svetlana Tzarukaeva, on Wednesday after the retesting of her samples uncovered steroids. The original gold medalist, Kazakhstan’s Maiya Maneza, was stripped of her result last fall.

The IOC release announcing the sanctions against Tzarukaeva and two wrestlers from 2008 did not specify how or when medals would be redistributed. With so many doping convictions in weightlifting and the podium looking more like a game of musical chairs, the IOC hasn’t been speedy about issuing new ones.

“I’m hoping it’s in the next few months but I’ve been hoping that for a year,” Girard said, referring to her Beijing medal and first London upgrade to silver.

Peace Arch Hospital Expansion Moves Forward

The communities of South Surrey and White Rock received news this morning of a massive funding commitment to improve the care and services that will be delivered by our Peace Arch Hospital. Liberal party MLA's joined with representatives from Fraser Health and the Peace Arch Foundation to make the special announcement at the hospital.

The Ministry of Health will contribute $8.2 million dollars. Fraser Health will contribute $23 million dollars and the Peace Arch Foundation will contribute $37 million dollars.

(l-r) MLA Stephanie Cadieux, Siobhan Phillips Peace Arch Foundation Board Chair, MLA Gordon Hogg, Dr, Smit head of surgery Peace Arch Hospital and Michael Marchbank President and CEO Fraser Health)

Laura's Coffee Corner - Good News Story

If You Build It - They Will Come

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Todd Stone, Delta Mayor Lois E. Jackson and other dignitaries were on hand today to officially kick off construction on the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project.

“After four years of consultation with First Nations, municipal and regional governments, and a tremendous amount of technical work, construction is underway on the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project, which includes replacing the seismically vulnerable tunnel with a safe, modern bridge,” said Stone. “These site preparation contracts represent the first work on the Massey replacement, which will generate approximately 9,000 direct jobs over the life of the project.”

The process to award the major construction works contract is still underway, and the Province expects to have its preferred proponent chosen by summer 2017. All major approvals are in place for the project to proceed, including the project’s Environmental Assessment Certificate, awarded on Feb. 9, and approval from the Agricultural Land Commission received on Feb. 24.

After site preparation, major construction will begin later this year with the new bridge opening in 2022. Tunnel decommissioning will follow.

Beach Cleanup

Work crews are busy on East & West Beach on the White Rock waterfront. The popular beach front suffered heavy damage this past winter due to a number of strong storms. Crews have been carefully reinforcing the beach with loads of rip rap.

Your Neighbourhood Your Vote

(YNYV) is a collaborative election awareness and education initiative by the neighbourhood houses of Metro Vancouver. YNYV is a source for issues forums and all-candidate meetings held by neighbourhood houses and their partners. Join us in the lead-up to the May 9th provincial elections.

For information about events happening at individual neighbourhood houses, please contact the Your Neighbourhood, Your Vote representative:

Alexandra Neighbourhood House
Neil Fernyhough communityprograms[at]alexhouse.net

Welcome Home

LAURA CORNALE was one of the merchants that lost their business when the now infamous Five Corners Fire ripped through the commercial section of the burned condo.

Since September 01 when she acquired a new location for her business it has been endless days and stressful nights. That all changed yesterday. LAURA'S COFFEE CORNER is back.

Peace Arch News ALEX BROWN & rock band Trooper's RA MCGUIRE discuss Alex's upcoming concert while standing in line.

From the moment the doors were open @ 8 a.m. there was a constant lineup of old friends and neighbours who couldn't wait to welcome Laura and her staff back.

Hubby GLEN and LAURA take a breather before the day starts in the shop they designed and GLEN built.

Not Guilty

It has been 3 years since CRAIG WIDDIFIELD was fatally shot outside of Steve Nash Fitness located in The Grandview Corners shopping district of South Surrey.

Yesterday (Friday) Judge PETER VOITH rendered a not guilty verdict in the case of charges of first degree murder against BRODY ROBERT PATERSON. “There were numerous difficulties with Mr. Paterson’s evidence… significant difficulties,” VOITH said.

VOITH felt the Crown failed to prove their case sufficient enough to gain a guilty conviction. The Crown';s case rested largely on an informant who testified for the Crown. During the trial the validity of his testimony of facts came into play.

The audio of the deadly confrontation which occurred July 18 2015 between HUDSON BROOKS and the South Surrey RCMP detachment members has come to light via YOUTUBE.

One portion of the audio identifies emergency services are needed. Suspect and a member of the South Surrey detachment who is identified as Constable KUTRIN.

Train Kept A Rollin'

Due to the heavy rain on Tuesday and the rain storm Wednesday morning a portion of the bank alongside the BNSF rail line let go around 9 a.m. yesterday morning. BNSSF crews were quick to arrive on the scene and the cleanup began immediately. The line re-opened to freight rail traffic in the early afternoon.

There will be a disruption in AMTRAK service though, as the railway does not run passenger trains through where there has been a slide for 48 hours after the slide has occurred. Freight shipments are under no such obligation.

The area of the slide showed no other previous slide action, but hikers said it looked like a lot of the trees at the top of the bank had been removed or carelessly topped to improve the view for the home on the property backed where the slide occurred.

The slide was located East of Kwomais Point mid-way between White Rock and Crescent Beach.

Walk On

The East Beach district of White Rock is undergoing major upgrades. In addition to the addition of rocks to reinforce the shoreline damaged in recent storms, a section of the sidewalk is being expanded.

Following numerous complaints about patios in front of restaurants with a narrow sidewalk the city will now remove 13 street parking spots to expand the sidewalk to mirror the rest of that section of the waterfront retail landscape.March 27, 2017

White Rock Social Media Reacts To Bicycle Road Paint

Jenn Leigh Dillon. After numerous unanswered messages left with the City, they proceeded with the bike route down Kent St. My husband and I just watched a family attempt the ride down our street (pacific &Columbia) that ended with the mother screaming "use your breaks!! Use your breaks!" to her children which ended in the family walking their bikes so that they didn't lose control before crossing Columbia street.

Michelle Young I saw them painting those everywhere today, I didn't really get the point of it

Arlene Soenso It also serves as a reminder to car drivers that there may be cyclists.

Sherry Jaehrlich I am so angry and befuddled by the bike signs and lanes in this area. I seriously doubt anyone in the planning depth got out on two wheels to give their routes a sanity check.

Nicole Hennelly I thought the purpose of a designated bike lane/path was to have space specifically/only for riders --these painted on bikes do nothing in my opinion other than to make an eyesore on the road.
What exactly is the point of this?

Montee Share Those glow tabs in the concrete will be installed shortly to keep you in traffic in its lane. The noise from them keeps the neighborhood from sleeping but no one gives a crap about people who live here. And you thought the train was hell. Just wait.

Then There Was One

Media pundits wondered allowed how long Surrey would be home to two separate newspapers once Black Press took ownership of both newspapers.

As of April the British Columbia's second largest city will be home to just one weekly community newspaper which will be called d the SURREY NOW NEWS LEADER as of April 05. The merging of the two newspapers resulted in a number of layoffs.

the Peace Arch News which is owned by the same parent company has not been affected by the merger. PAN will continue to publish weekly on Wednesday and Friday.

Canada's happiest singles - White Rock Top 10

Want a happy relationship? Canada is a good place to look: World Happiness Day (March 20th) saw the release of the UNs World Happiness Report and, happily, Canada came 7th. But where in this happy nation can you find the happiest singles? EliteSingles found out.

â€¢ The happiest singles in Canada live in Orangeville, ON
â€¢ St Thomas, ON and Collingwood, ON are in 2nd and 3rd place
â€¢ 8/10 of the happiest places in Canada are in Ontario
â€¢ Leduc, AB and White Rock, BC are the only non-Ontarian cities in the top 10 study, conducted by premium dating site EliteSingles, used anonymous user data from 45,000 registered members to determine where Canadaâs happiest singles live.

By aggregating how strongly its members self-scored themselves on a happiness scale, then looking at the average result by location, the dating company found the 10 best places in Canada to meet happy singles:

1. Orangeville, ON
2. St Thomas, ON
3. Collingwood, ON
4. Leduc, AB
5. Aurora, ON
6. Barrie, ON
7. Oakville, ON
8. White Rock, BC
9. Welland, ON
10. Burlington, ON

Do You Know Him?

Surveillance footage of alleged shooter of Surrey gangster Birinder Bhangu

Bhangu arrived at the Comfort Inn in the Fleetwood area of Surrey on Monday March 13 @ 2:22 p.m.

The suspect in the pictures above approached the Bhangu vehicle one minute laster on foot. He approached the driver's side of Bhangu's vehicle and opened fire. The suspect then ran off and left the scene in a Nissan Pathfinder which was located the following day (Tuesday March 14) in Kelowna.

White Rock drinking water to get new treatment for arsenic

The City of White Rock has received a historic first— nearly $12 million in grant funding from the Government of Canada and Government of British Columbia to go towards the City’s $14.2 million arsenic and manganese treatment processes to address the City’s water quality and ensure a healthier community.

Water services in White Rock had been owned and operated by private owners for more than 100 years.

In 2015, shortly after taking over the water utility, the City confirmed that levels of arsenic, in two out of seven wells, is occasionally higher than Health Canada’s maximum allowable level.

The City acquired the White Rock water utility from a private utility company in October 2015 by making an advance payment of $14 million, and continues to work with the previous owners on a final purchase price. Work on the new treatment plant is expected to be completed by 2019.

Canada and British Columbia invest in 144 new water and wastewater infrastructure projects

Hogg Leaves Them Laughing

Thursday afternoon 14 MLA's left the legislature for the last time in their official capacity. Our very own Liberal MLA GORDON HOGG was one of those 14.

Read GORDON'S story about the night he almost burned down the legislature in the NATIONAL OBSERVER.

Semiahmoo First Nations

On February 15 we published the following story on the city of Blaine's emergency preparedness.

Does Blaine Know Something We Don't?

Our neighbour to the south Blaine WA has plans to install an emergency siren on the city's waterfront.

There are already sirens dotted around Northern Washington. Birch Bay, Point Roberts, Bellingham and Sandy Point all possess the emergency sirens to warn the public or tsunamis, earthquakes and other potential hazards such as a train derailment with hazardous goods.

Once installed the siren will be tested the first Wednesday of every month for 30 seconds. Keep your ears open for it.

Yesterday (Thursday) the Semiahmoo First Nations staged an emergency evacuation of the band's land which is located between on the U.S. border to the south and the city of White Rock and Surrey to the north.

By mid-afternoon social media had exploded with White Rock residents wondering what was going on.

Spokesperson for the Semiahmoo First Nations councillor JOANNE CHARLES told the White Rock Sun that on Monday they had issued a press release (see below) to the city of Blaine, the city of white Rock through their emergency preparedness lead contact fire chief PHIL LEMIRE,Surrey RCMP, White Rock RCMP, the CN police, BNSF railway, reps from Washington State, the Canadian Border Services and the First Nations Health Authority.

The recently installed warning system on the Semiahmoo land had been tested in a smaller version of a test on Monday March 06. The plan is to do a brief test at noon on the first Monday of every month, similar to the way Blaine tests theirs monthly.

Yesterday the second phase of their emergency operation was to be tested with a full evacuation. According to CHARLES 65 members and residents of their land followed instructions perfectly and evacuated to safety at the ore-arrangeed Pacific Inn Hotel. The Semiahmoo First Nations mobile command centre was in place and from CHARLES point the exercise was a success.

All of the participants and those affected by future tests will reexamine the process to ensure the yesterday's breakdown in communication will not be repeated.

Statement from the City of White Rock Regarding Semiahmoo First Nation’s Tsunami Drill

March 16, 2017
Today the Semiahmoo First Nation conducted an evacuation drill for their community.

The Semiahmoo First Nation informed the City of White Rock that the siren alerts would begin at 11:00AM with their Tsunami tone (wailing). However, they did not inform the City that their alarms would not include clear messaging that it’s a test or a drill only.

As the alarms did not have clear messaging that this was a test, it caused residents to believe it was a real evacuation, particularly when they heard, “This is a tsunami warning, please vacate and get to higher ground or inland now, do not return.”

The City is also concerned about the lack of communication provided by Semiahmoo First Nations. We have communicated our concerns and re-emphasized the need for clearer communication with the City and the public in the future.

What Would You Like In A Park?

The City of Surrey is updating its Parks, Recreation & Culture (PRC) Strategic Plan, and needs your input. Over the next 10 years, this new plan will shape the future of your communities, facilities and services. Join us at one of the upcoming fun, family-friendly event to learn more, share your ideas, and set some priorities for the future. Drop by and share your ideas!

South Surrey South Surrey Recreation & Arts Centre, Turnbull Gallery Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 12 - 3pm

Waterfront Parking?

Tuesday afternoon two elderly ladies who had been visiting the White Rock waterfront's promenade area shocked a number of walkers on the promenade.

After enjoying a walk on the promenade the two ladies got into their vehicle and got ready to leave, the driver thinking she was in reverse gave the vehicle gas and it shot ahead from the parking lot right on to the promenade.

White Rock Arson

Shortly after midnight yesterday morning (Saturday) White Rock firefighters responded to an early morning fire in a home located at 1038 Stevens street. When the fire crews arrived the home was fully engulfed in flames. The fire was quickly extinguished with no damage to the neighbouring properties.

The White Rock Fire Department and White Rock RCMP Serious Crime Section have determined the cause of fire to be arson. Police have received information regarding a vehicle of interest. The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone who has any information please contact the White Rock RCMP Serious Crime Section 778-593-3600 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

The plaintiff alleges that on February 6th 2017, Ryan Laforge falsely and maliciously communicated with the plaintiff indicating on Facebook the plaintiff was involved in a scheme to procure sex with an under-age girl.

The suit says Laforge knowingly published a video, that was viewed over 56,000 times, that he knew was false or in careless disregard as to whether it was true or not.

The plaintiff claims he has suffered damages to his reputation and his family restaurant.

Surrey Creep Catchers post videos to publicly name-and-shame people they claim are child predators.

White Rock Eagle Cam

A pair of eagles have moved into the nest located above the bluffs in Ocean Park. There are reports there is one egg in the nest already and a second egg is expected today or tomorrow.

Two Bodies Removed From White Rock Home

Residents in the 1100 block of Finlay street watched emergency crews remove two bodies from a hillside home yesterday evening.

When friends had not heard from the couple aged 66 and 72 for a couple of days they became concerned. Upon entering the home they discovered the couple deceased.

White Rock RCMP are not treating the deaths as suspicious. Neighbours this morning were telling the media a FORTIS truck was in the neighbourhood yesterday but could not confirm the two incidents were related.

They're At The Post

April 25 Tuesday – Peninsula Homeless to Housing with Semiahmoo Seniors Planning Table
and other partners HOST ALL CANDIDATES DIALOGUE doors open 6:30 Program 7 sharp
at GRACE POINT Community Church 3487 King George Blvd, S. Surrey

FYI 2017 May 9th CANDIDATES for Provincial MLA
South Surrey-Cloverdale - GREEN: Aleksandra Muniak LIBERAL Stephanie Cadieux NDP Jonathan Silveira
Surrey-White Rock – GREEN: William Marshall LIBERAL: Tracy Redies NDP: Niovi Patsicakis (Mar 19 tbc)

Permission To Come Ashore?

The Coast Guard hovercraft caused quite a stir along the White Rock promenade yesterday afternoon. The visit was not an emergency response simply a training exercise to practise nosing up against the rip rap rocks along the beach at high tide.

Be Still My Beating Heart

Could it be the same owners that operated one of Vancouver's longest running Mexican restaurants in Vancouver?

For decades the popular dimly lit restaurant at the corner of 12th avenue and Granville was one of Vancouver's Top 10 restaurants in the 70's & 80's

The new restaurant will open soon in the old location of CIELO'S on White Rock's west beach Marine Drive-strip.

Note; Many of the photos you see in THE SUN come from a new FACEBOOK page created for local photographers to share the beauty of our "city by the sea."

New To New West

Organizers of the week long BC SUPERWEEK of Cycling have announced New Westminster will join the other 9 Lower Mainland cities that will host this year's races spread out over 10 days.

The New West race will be second in the series, joining the Tour de Delta, Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix, Giro di Burnaby, PoCo Grand Prix and Tour de White Rock.

The proposed course will include portions of Columbia, Eighth, Carnarvon, Sixth and Begbie streets, although the official route is still being finalized by event organizers.

The criterium-style race features a mass start and a 935-metre circuit which incorporates 45 to 55 laps. Spectators will be encouraged to grab a viewing spot along the route to catch the fast-wheeling action, with more than 200 men’s and women’s cyclists expected to compete.

Join The Discussion

Surrey is a city abundant with parks, recreational facilities, and a vibrant arts, cultural and heritage community. The Parks, Recreation & Culture (PRC) Department helps to plan and operate many of these amenities. To build on these assets, and to meet the needs of a diverse and growing community, the City is developing a new PRC Strategic Plan.

The Friends of Hazelmere/Campbell River Valley have come together to have their voices heard at Surrey city hall. Over the past few years the area has been threatened with a casino and most recently a giant truck park alongside of the Little Campbell River.

These land uses are still open to change based on community input in the Public Meeting in April/May 2017. This community meeting will be your chance to give feedback to the City of Surrey about the proposed plans, and will be critical in deciding if that plan will proceed or be modified further.

Crash Landing

White Rock & South Surrey emergency crews responded en masse yesterday shortly after noon to a 911 call that indicated a motorized para-motor hang glider had crashed on to the sand bar near the mouth of the Little Campbell River.

A man who witnesses say appeared to be in his late 20's was transported by air ambulance to the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. His injuries were described by authorities as serious but not life threatening.

Sculpture enthusiasts want to turn back the sands of time in B.C.

A Vancouver Sun article yesterday looks back on how White Rock's Sandcastle Competition which began in 1979 made our city famous around the world.

Mystery

When our man on the street DON PITCAIRN forwarded a picture of a scarecrow on the side of HWY 99 we brushed it off as not really a news story. The fact though that it has now been up there for over a week on HWY 99 @ Elgin Road has got us to wondering....what's the back story.

I was happy to discuss the future of White Rock's waterfront retail landscape yesterday with JILL BENNETT on CKNW.

Border Jumpers

Yesterday morning at approximately 7:20 A.M. Surrey R.C.M.P. received a report that two persons had crossed the border from the United States of America into Canada in the area of 170th St., and 0 Ave., Surrey, B.C. and not reported to a port of entry. Officers of the Surrey R.C.M.P. attended to the area, and located two persons, a male and a female, that matched the description of the two persons. The two were detained under the Immigration Act and were cooperative with Police. The two were tentatively identified as Turkish Nationals, and have been turned over to Canada Immigration officials to be dealt with.

A family of four was detained on Sunday after crossing the border illegally from the U.S. in the same area, which borders PEACE ARCH park and has minimal security.

Thank You Friends and Neighbours - We Did It!

Hundreds of walkers joined together last evening to to raise money for SOURCES White Rock. All the money raised will stay here in our community to help those less fortunate than us. It is the least we can do.

Dennis Lypka & Lorraine Adair/Robin & Meh-Ling Harper/Beth Kish/Jayne Pattison/Joyce McKenzie/Jim Hart/Gary Deck/Rob Warwick/Corry Kriticos/Tammy & Joe Ritchie/Don Lawrenson/Bob Burrows/Donna Paulsen/Judy Forster/Cathy Craig/Donna Herringer/Eve Lees/Charles Fast/Gail Terry/Marjorie Mooney/Gordon Hogg and Maggie Bernet./Ra Mcguire and Margaret Garrison

A special thank you, to each and everyone of you and to everyone who supported our team from THE ROYCE.

Slip Sliding Away

The first image shows every tremor reported on Vancouver Island during a three-week period in the summer of 2016. The second image shows every tremor reported during the last slow slip, which began in December 2015. (Pacific Northwest Seismic Network)

Over the past month there have been dozens of earthquakes registering over 4 on the richter scale. Experts call the period we are heading into as a risky seismic season.

Every 14 months, the Cascadian subduction zone — which runs from northern Vancouver Island down to northern California — experiences what seismologists call a "slow slip."

This year's slip has already kicked off underneath Washington State and is expected to reach B.C. any day now.

Finger On The Pulse

BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER decided to weigh in on the hot topic of the week, White Rock's troubled beach front retail landscape.

Diane's Day

Staff and shoppers gathered to honour DIANE PERRIE for her 45 years of volounteering at the Peace Arch Hospital's turnabout store on Prospect Avenue.

DIANE can still be found manning the checkout counter at the popular second hand store Tuesday mornings.

The Food Trucks Are Coming

The Fraser Valley Food Truck Festival is fun for the whole family!
Featuring 25 Hand Picked Food Trucks from the Greater Vancouver Area we are sure there will be a meal for you.

Music will be supplied by The Pop Junkies!

Lots of fun for the kids with Face Painting, Balloon Twisting, Henna, Sand Art & More!

And do not forget about our Local Artisan Market that featured local makers and their hand crafted products!

This event is Free to all!

Surrey Gets New Water Hook Up

After almost six years of construction, Metro Vancouver’s $240-million Port Mann Water Supply Tunnel is now delivering clean, safe drinking water to residents south of the Fraser River.

Located more than 30 metres under the Fraser River bed, the new tunnel more than doubles the capacity of the old water main and provides enhanced earthquake and river erosion resiliency to help ensure the continued delivery of drinking water to Metro Vancouver residents.

The Port Mann Water Supply Tunnel consists of two 60-metre deep shafts – one in Coquitlam and another in Surrey – connected by a one-kilometre-long, 3.5-meter-diametre tunnel housing a 2.1-meter-diametre steel water main. A new valve chamber was built at the top of each shaft to allow the new tunnel to connect with the existing land-based water mains on either side of the river.

Construction started in the spring of 2011, when ground was broken for the south shaft. Tunnelling began in February 2014 and achieved breakthrough in June 2015. Installation of the water main inside the shafts and tunnel was completed in July 2016 and the valve chambers were finished in January 2017.

The tunnel had to be located deep underground to maximize its earthquake resilience, and tunnelling 30 metres below the bed of the Fraser River posed significant challenges. Engineers had to overcome difficult soil conditions and the highest groundwater pressures ever observed in Canadian soft ground tunnelling.

Does Blaine Know Something We Don't?

Our neighbour to the south Blaine WA has plans to install an emergency siren on the city's waterfront.

Once installed the siren will be tested the first Wednesday of every month for 30 seconds. Keep your ears open for it.

Ghost Town

What Ghost Town?

The sun came out and so did the crowds. White Rock's waterfront which of late has been portrayed as a ghost town due to a number of businesses closing, was packed yesterday.

NO WALL NO BAN

A crowd of 2-3 hundred protesters gathered in the sunshine and shadows of the Peace Arch yesterday afternoon. The group gathered to protest the recent executive order of President Trump which proposes to limit travelers entering the United States.

Semiahmoo First Nations councillor JOANNE CHARLES opened the ceremony with a traditional greeting song to welcome the group to the lands of the Semiahmoo First Nations.

Semiahmoo First Nations Art Opening

Dozens of residents, local politicians, city representatives joined the staff and board of directors for the White Rock Museum's grand opening of the latest art installment at the waterfront museum.

The carvings, paintings and weavings of the Semiahmoo First Nations will be on display until the end of March. Admission is by donation.

Canada's Population Climbs to 35,151,728

The first round of statistics from CENSUS CANADA were released yesterday. The next stats that will be released will be for age and sex.

White Rock Waterfront Woes

White Rock continues to have its annual slowdown of business along Marine Drive referred to as a "ghost town"

Mayor Baldwin spoke with GLBAL BC television yesterday on the various projects the city is undertaking to address this problem.

RCMP Investigating Arsons

There has been no official word on the cause of the blaze that destroyed the two condo complexes at 5 Corners Sunday.

What we do know is there were no less than four fires set throughout the city of White Rock and close proximity Sunday morning.

A children's playground constructed from wood and plastic and located on the Cypress street road end @ Victoria avenue was set ablaze in the early hours Sunday morning, No injuries. Fire quickly extinguished

Sandpiper Liquor store is broken into @ 5:10 a.m. Owner confirmed the CCTV cameras captures clear pictures of two suspects robbing the liquor out of the window.

10:30 a.m. a fire is started in an alleyway off of Pacific avenue near Stayte road. Fire quickly extinguished no major damage. No injuries

12 noon residents of the Semiahmoo First Nations witnessed an individual attempting to start a building on fire behind the band's office. The Surrey RCMP responded to the 911 call and took the suspect into custody.

The suspect taken into custody Sunday appeared in Surrey Provincial court Tuesday morning where he was charged with arson damaging property.

The accused is 18 year old JAMES DYER of Surrey was released on his own recognizance.

Mayor Caught Between White Rock & A Hard Place

That's the headline you will see when you pick up your copy of THE PROVINCE today.

White Rock mayor WAYNE BALDWIN and former White Rock resident and council candidate DENNIS LYPKA go head to head on the pro's and con's of White Rock rejoining Surrey.

Eye In The Sky

White Rock resident and traffic reporter for WX1130 DARREN "Danger" GRIEVE sent along this picture taken yesterday afternoon. The fire started at the rear of the condo project under construction pictured in the top left hand corner of photo.

No official announcement has been made yet on whether or not it will be possible to rebuild or if the whole structure will have to come down.

Five Corners Fire

Smoke could be seen for miles as the fire ripped through the condo structures. This shot was taken by a reader from the Inn @ Semiahmoo in Blaine.

The fire broke out early this morning around 5 a.m. in a wooden three storey condo under construction on Royal Avenue in the 15200 block. The fire quickly jumped to the condo located at 5 Corners. The fire at one point threatened the Star of the Sea hall located next to the condo. Firefighters fought the fire from the roof of the Star of the Sea in order to prevent the fire from spreading. Surrey and White Rock fire crews fought the stubborn blaze for hours before eventually bringing it under control at 8 a.m.

The cause of the fire is unknown as the investigation is in the very early stage.