One of an ever-diminishing number of historic buildings still standing on the White Rock waterfront was consumed in a dramatic fire on Tuesday morning.
Power was out in a good portion of the city for much of the day, and nearby residents were evacuated. The fire attracted many onlookers, with photos and video quickly posted online.
White Rock firefighters were on the scene quickly. They did a very skillful job in keeping the fire confined, as the old building was surrounded by newer condominiums. The area has changed significantly.
The building, most recently a gelato cafe, was likely best-known over the years as home of the Surf dance hall. It was one of many dance halls that were a very popular attraction in White Rock from the early 1900s until the 1950s.
The second floor of the Surf building was once a very well-known dance hall, one of several in the immediate area of the pier. In the days when residents of Vancouver and New Westminster would come to White Rock by train or car to enjoy the ambience, it was a very popular destination.
Among the other popular dance halls were the Blue Moon, which operated out of at least three different buildings near Marine and Martin Street, and the Silver Moon, which took over an existing outdoor roller rink.
In the book, Years of Promise White Rock historian Lorraine Ellenwood notes that “During the 1950s, it served as the nearest to a community hall that White Rock could offer.”
The dance halls diminished in popularity as the years advanced, and the Surf probably hosted its last dance more than 40 years ago. Nonetheless, the building was very much a landmark on the waterfront.
For many years, there was a grocery store on the main floor, with there upstairs dance hall, reached by a separate stairway, used for a variety of purposes.
The old building has been dwarfed in recent years by many new buildings nearby, and has been occupied by a succession of businesses, including a pizza restaurant and gelato parlour.
In recent years, a number of older buildings in that area of White Rock have been demolished, as the relentless demand for new condos and homes makes the real estate they occupy more valuable than ever. Most recently, the old Pacific Stage lines bus depot and a long-standing waterfront garage have been demolished to allow a large condo development to proceed, at the corner of Oxford and Marine. It is now under construction.
The same level of redevelopment is taking place in Surrey and many other parts off the Lower Mainland.
That’s progress, and it is never possible to preserve a city that is dynamic and growing in one particular state. White Rock, as a popular visitor destination and desirable place to live, will continue to grow and change. It already looks almost completely different than it did 25 or 30 years ago.
Nonetheless, the destruction of the Surf by fire on Tuesday removes yet another reminder of White Rock’s unique heritage. It is doubtful many current White Rock residents were aware of its background, but it’s well worth remembering and thinking back to what White Rock once was.
Hopefully, all those affected by the fire will soon have their lives back in order. On the site of the Surf, a new building will eventually arise. It will play its own role in the history of White Rock in the future.
Frank Bucholtz writes Thursdays for the Peace Arch News. He is the editor of the Langley Times.