Editor:
Re: South Surrey urged to join White Rock, Aug. 4.
White Rock Coun. Grant Meyer’s suggestion shows how dysfunctional the White Rock city council is.
He acknowledges “conventional wisdom (is) that it would make more sense to amalgamate White Rock back into Surrey.
Well, councillor, it is more than conventional wisdom; it makes common sense.
South Surrey residents have nothing to gain by joining up with White Rock whilst, turned around, White Rock residents have everything to gain by joining Surrey.
Anyone thinking that White Rock can financially survive as a city should give their head a shake.
Bill Phelps, Surrey
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I am a Peninsula resident who is somewhat unhappy with the rampant growth of construction, population and traffic in the area.
I would also mention that our increased traffic is partly caused by the moving of people into the White Rock highrise developments.
However, Coun. Grant Meyer’s idea of amalgamating with White Rock to express our displeasure about that – as well as the increased distance the new Surrey City Hall will be from us – has to be the most unrealistic idea from a politician. How often does the average resident have a reason to visit city hall in a given year? Perhaps once, if that.
Become part of White Rock and pay one of the highest property taxes in B.C. for the cachet of “White Rock” in our address?
What about the little detail of White Rock having its own water and sewer service? How would that work outside its current borders?
Come on, councillor, it would make more sense to promote the idea of White Rock amalgamating into Surrey; you could keep the name, just as Crescent Beach and Ocean Park had.
George Zador, Surrey
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When this issue was being kicked about back in the early ’90s, I was definitely on board with the idea.
The borders did not make sense to me, and I really did feel like I was more part of White Rock than South Surrey.
But times have changed since then, and I don’t like what I’ve seen in the recent past.
I believe that a larger tax base for White Rock would create even more havoc for the White Rock council members. It seems that they are having trouble controlling what they have to deal with now in their small area, let alone having all of South Surrey to contend with.
I don’t see a more serene, peaceful South Surrey if that should happen but a jumble of undecided, incomplete structures.
They can’t keep the existing businesses happy, so how do they expect to comply with the even more serious needs, should the territory expand?
I believe White Rock needs Surrey’s help, not the other way around.
We can turn White Rock City Hall into South Surrey City Hall to accommodate the residents and businesses. I like the way South Surrey has grown and revitalized, thanks to our mayor.
I love living in this area and don’t feel like I’m in White Rock anymore when I’m uptown nowadays, till I head down to Marine Drive. The border along 16 Avenue/North Bluff is really just a road now.
Uptown White Rock and South Surrey feels like one and the same, no difference at all, so it will never feel like small town anymore.
Patricia Seggie, Surrey
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On the proposal of South Surrey joining White Rock… what are you smoking?
L.N. (Len) Giles, Surrey