Let’s make our neighborhoods welcoming for everyone by participating in the Treat Accessibly movement, a simple way to help make Halloween inclusive for all children, including those with disabilities.
For South Surrey White Rock residents, get your FREE lawn signs here: TISOL: 3091 152nd St, Surrey (Southpoint Exchange Shopping Centre)
October 26, 2025
Appeal For Witnesses in Serious Overnight Collision
Surrey Police Service (SPS) is investigating a serious single vehicle collision that occurred in the early morning hours of October 25, 2025, in the 12900 block Crescent Road, Surrey, that has sent one person to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
On October 25, 2025, at approximately 1:15 am, SPS Frontline officers responded to calls from Surrey Fire Service (SFS) and BCEHS of a single vehicle motor vehicle collision in the 12900 block Crescent Road, Surrey, where three occupants of a red pickup truck were possibly trapped after the vehicle hit a hydro pole.
SPS officers attended the scene and discovered that the driver of the pickup truck was trapped inside, while two passengers were able to get out on their own. The driver, an adult man, was extricated from the vehicle by SFS and was transported to hospital, where he remains with life-threatening injuries. Both passengers were examined at the scene by BCEHS and left on their own without suffering any injuries.
SPS Road Safety Section Collision Investigation Unit (CIU) members have taken conduct of the investigation. The cause of the collision remains unknown at this early stage.
SPS is asking anyone with information, especially if you were driving in the area at the time and have dash cam or CCTV footage, to call Surrey Police Service’s non-emergency number at 604-599-0502 and quote file 25-93842 (SP).
October 23, 2025
Surrey Council Advances Key Transportation Projects in South Surrey
At the Regular Council meeting on Monday, Council approved advancing the 24 Avenue and Highway 99 Interchange Ramps project to the detailed design stage. Developed in partnership with the Province of British Columbia, the project will introduce north facing access and exit points along Highway 99, to ease congestion and support the rapid growth in South Surrey.
The land-use application proposal for a new Costco store at 164 Street and 20 Avenue received first and second readings at the meeting.
A public hearing is scheduled for November to give residents an opportunity to share feedback before Council considers third reading approval.
To further support South Surrey’s economic and residential growth, the City plans to build the 20 Avenue Overpass of Highway 99 to improve traffic flow and access to jobs, businesses, and services. The overpass will include two vehicle travel lanes in each direction with a multi-use path on the north side for walking and cycling. Early works including utility relocations and tree clearing to prepare for the overpass are underway. Construction is anticipated to start in January 2025 once contract is awarded.
As South Surrey continues to grow, the City remains committed to ensuring transportation infrastructure keeps pace with the needs of residents, businesses, and future development.
WHITE ROCK REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING - OCT 20th 2025
The following is my summary of the most important agenda items at our last Council meeting. All comments are my own and do not represent the City of White Rock. For the complete and unedited meeting, please find a link to the agenda and video below.
1. Anthony Manning and Susan Mahal-Bains were sworn in as White Rock's two newest City Councillors - both being elected in the recent by-election. Congratulations and welcome!
2. Students from White Rock Elementary came to Council to talk about Diwali on Diwali!
3. White Rock RCMP Quarter 2 and Quarter 3 Reports (crime statistics, strategic plan)
4. Firefighters in White Rock will soon be offering further medical care (as per Provincial direction)
5. Summer Recreation Activity Update
- enrollment in Summer City programs for youth is way up in numbers!
6. Summary of the many City Events
- Bright Walk in White Rock (Winter lights), Volunteer Fair, Canada Day by the Bay, Pride Flag Raising, Sea Festival and Semiahmoo Days, White Rock and S.Surrey Culture Crawl
- Overall a 14% increase in participation - over est. 330,000 people attending
7. Official Community Plan (OCP)
- The Province has directed an update to the Official Community Plan be completed by the end of 2025.
- Significant debate about moving it forward in the current form.
- Supporters (Mayor Knight, Cllr.Lawrence, Cllr.Cheung) argued that this is a long term 20+ years document for growth and does not mean short term density increase, and that we have an order to meet Provincial housing targets and deadlines that is out of our control.
- Opponents (Cllr.Trevelyan, Cllr.Chesney, Cllr.Manning, Cllr.Bains) argued that with a collapsed market the Provincial numbers are completely unattainable and unrealistic, and support for 100-250% increase in heights and increased density in the town center and much expanded town center transition areas (expanded out to Oxford in the West to Kent St. in the East) is not what they heard from residents, and is too much for existing infrastructure as-is.
Given that this was the first presentation of the proposed new OCP, Cllr.Bains put forth a motion to table the vote until next Council meeting, put out a 'Coles Notes' summary of major changes in a few pages (instead of a 900+ page document) and then hold a open house and online talk White Rock survey before a public hearing on December 1st. The goal is to better inform residents so they can make more informed comments in their support or opposition. Staff stated that this will push the timeline back by 2 weeks and as such won't meet the deadline set by the Province.
Motion passed 4-3 (Mayor Knight, Cllr.Lawrence, Cllr.Cheung in opposition).
My comment - In several open houses, residents were able to comment on heights and density using sticker dots and LEGO modeling. It is very hard for for me to make any decision on this interpreted 'data'. Broadly what I've heard from residents over the years is that that heights in the town center are fine, but keep towers there and don't spread them across the City. I generally agree with this, and am concerned primarily with significant proposed height increases as far west as Kent Street (from 4-6 stories on N.Bluff to proposed 10-12 stories) and heights to the west (Vidal, Oxford etc, from 4-6 stories to proposed 10-15 stories).
8. Fees and Charges Bylaw 2553
- increase in parking fees across the City largely in keeping with inflation. (passed 6-1 Trevelyan opposed).
My comment: I objected to the White Rock Parking Pass being raised yet again to $64 with declining uptake. While it's only matter of a few dollars, having a $50 or $55/year pass is one small perk for residents who deal with huge crowds and limited parking in a destination beach town. To be fair the Mayor objected as well to the original proposed increase which was even higher then $64.
9. Council Procedure Bylaw Amendment
- a motion from Cllr.Trevelyan to put in writing that any member of Council if supported by one other member of Council may add items to the agenda if submitted by the deadline. A rancorous debate between Cllr.Trevelyan and Cllr.Cheung followed, but I believe it was in the end largely a misunderstanding. (passed 4-3 Mayor Knight, Cllr.Lawrence, Cllr.Cheung opposed)
My comment: This amendment came about after a motion I wanted to add to the agenda in time was denied. It was suggested it was too similar to a previous motion, which I completely disagreed with. Either way I argued it should not be up to the CAO/Mayor alone to decide what may appear on the agenda, but rather all members of elected Council should have that right - and then let Council as a whole vote for or against it in plain public view. To be fair, practice has been to allow Council members to add agenda items and I've only had 1 item that was a problem. Every other motion/topic was NOT denied which I appreciate. Still, I believe the right should be in writing.
10. Add a plaque to the Helen Fathers Walkway explaining who she was.
- some debate - some argued that we need a policy first lest any thing anywhere can be named, and what about other Councillors who have passed. The other side argued while that it a fair point, it's reasonable to have a plaque in Helen Fathers Walkways explaining who Helen Fathers was. (passed 6-1 - Mayor Knight opposed)
A huge thanks to White Rock artist Jim Davidson for bringing his creative magic to the front windows of Blue Frog Studios!
He’s a muralist, painter, and mixed-media wizard – and one of the good guys who truly gets what live music’s all about.
We love how this piece brings new life to our home of live music.
Kelly Breaks/Co-owner Blue Frog
October 18, 2025
Proposed Costco Development and 24th Avenue Interchange Improvements Advancing to Council
The City of Surrey is advancing two significant items for consideration at the upcoming Council meeting on Monday, October 20, 2025.
The first relates to a land-use application submitted by Costco Wholesale Canada for a proposed new Costco store in South Surrey. The application is being presented for first and second reading as part of the land use agenda. If supported by Council at that stage, the proposal would proceed to a public hearing, where residents will have the opportunity to share their views before any decision on third reading is made.
The second item on Monday’s agenda is a corporate report on planned upgrades to the 24th Avenue overpass, developed in partnership with the Province of British Columbia. These improvements are intended to include Highway 99 access and egress, relieve congestion in South Surrey, and support the rapid growth and mobility of the area.
Both items reflect Surrey’s ongoing efforts to supporting thoughtful growth and improving transportation infrastructure to meet the needs of residents and businesses.
October 16, 2025
The Christopherson Steps at the west end of 24 Ave. leading to Crescent Beach and the more rugged Crescent Rock beach will be closed again for repairs. The posted dates are Mon., Oct. 27 to Fri., Dec. 6.
Please note that the last repairs done in August were scheduled to take 5 days but instead took 19 days to complete.
It's always good to keep an eye on the local community Facebook pages as they contain a wealth of information and are a good source of newsworthy items that other media sources might have missed. Case in point was a posting I made about salmon returning to the Semiahmoo Fish & Game Club and efforts by volunteers from the Little Campbell Hatchery to count them all while collecting brood stock for next year's hatchery fish. One of the people who commented was John Munch who let me know that Surrey had turned off the water running to Elgin Creek allowing it to dry up over the summer. Fortunately I knew something about the history of this man-made addition to the water-flow and went about trying to find out the details of what had actually happened.
Get your free lawn sign or print one at home:
For South Surrey White Rock residents, get your FREE lawn signs here: TISOL: 3091 152nd St, Surrey (Southpoint Exchange Shopping Centre)
October 24: World Polio Day- Red, White & Yellow
