Up and Out

We seem to have a meeting of extremes here on our little peninsula. On one hand we have White Rock Center which is building up- to 14, 17 and 19 stories from a low-rise, low density town centre with the Semiahmoo mall area soon to follow as Surrey completes its own consultation process. These passed and proposed developments are to be pedestrian oriented, mixed-use with integrated public spaces.

On the other we have the Rosemary and Grandview Heights developments on the other side of HWY 99 which are bursting at the seams-with rows upon rows of townhouses lining up on the hill. Morgan Elementary, which serves most of Rosemary is 200 students over capacity, projected to be 400 by 2010. What do you do with that many kids except stuff them in portables. A new " green school" has been announced by the Surrey School District just this month but shouldn't the facilities come before the crowds?

These new developments are not served by any amenities and are within walking distance only of each other. Gettting to the nearest grocery store requires crossing an overpass over a major highway.

There's more. In 2005 a hotly debated big box development was approved on former agricultural land just a few blocks out of town. The typical development sports miles of parking around the only completed store- the Home Depot which sits in an asphalt oasis surrounded by fields as the rest of the development is delayed.

Why the mixed messages? Why encourage car dependence with higher density which only serves to compound traffic problems in an already busy town centre. How can a (Surrey) council show progressive vision at one sight and then display an utter lack of foresight just miles down the road?

It seems that only time will tell if this growing community can absorb an influx of commercial options in a splintered arrangement that suggests that none of the multiple major commercial nodes will ever truly flourish.