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White Rock mulls night market, South Asian festival proposals

City staff to prepare detailed reports on ‘Fridays @ 5’ market, ‘Shades of India’ events
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File photo Last local night market venture, The Surrey Night Market, ran Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at the Cloverdale Exhibition Grounds from 2014 to 2016, but was cancelled for 2017.

City of White Rock has received applications for two new events for 2018 – a Friday night market at Five Corners and a summertime waterfront South Asian cultural festival.

But while councillors expressed interest in both at Monday evening’s meeting, they said they need more information on impacts to traffic and residents – particularly for the night market, which would include a beer garden and live music up to 10 p.m.

The two events – both recommended for approval in a city staff report – are the ‘Fridays @ 5’ outdoor night market, proposed by Louise Taylor of NVision Ideas Inc., founder of the Ladner Village Night Market, and a relocation to White Rock of the ‘Shades Of India’ festival, which had previously been presented in Surrey’s Holland Park by the Sanskriti Cultural Awareness Society of BC.

“I don’t feel we have enough information to approve them tonight,” said Coun. Lynne Sinclair, who asked that city staff report on the background of the proponents, past successes and whether they are for-profit.

She also asked for consultation with TransLink on impacts on bus routes; and consultation and feedback from residents, the White Rock BIA and chamber of commerce, and investigation of whether the proposals could be combined with other events.

That followed a suggestion from Coun. Helen Fathers that Shades Of India might combine with the Festival of Lights Diwali Integration Festival, which after three years is still attempting to maximize attendance.

Shades Of India, proposed as a three-day celebration at Memorial Park on Aug. 17-19, would include music, dance, food, family activities and a fireworks display, and would have an expected participation of 3,000-4,000 people per day, according to the city report.

Taylor appeared before council as a delegation to introduce her event, which would involve an estimated 2,000 people per night and which, she said, would revitalize Five Corners with a series of seven themed ‘block party’ evenings between June and early September.

“Outdoor community markets bring pride, they create a sense of belonging, and when a community knows each other, it’s a better and safer environment – and it also boosts the economy.”

The night market would run from around 5-10 p.m, and would require city approval of a beer garden, and road closures on Pacific Avenue and lower Johnston Road between 4 and 11 p.m.