Nearby Cities: White Rock
White Rock, nestled along Boundary Bay along the US border, is home to the famous Peace Arch
border crossing (officially, the Douglas border crossing), one of the busiest in North America.. This community, five km north of the border on Highway 99 is named for the 40 tonne rock on the beach. The rock has been limed white by the accumulation of guano (bird poop) from generations of seabirds.
White Rock is blessed with long, sandy beaches and a dry climate, compared to the rest of the
Vancouver area. This makes it a hot spot in summer, when it holds an annual
sea festival. Stroll along the 2.5 kilometre red brick waterfront promenade, with its galleries, boutiques, and sidewalk cafes. Walk out over the water on White Rock's pier, which extends 469 metres over the water.
The main commercial area is located along Johnston Road (152nd St.) and along North Bluff. Here, several shopping malls and plazas within walking distance of one another offer a wide variety of specialty shops, sidewalk cafes. The Marine Drive strip, has a California beach feel and caters to the summer visitors with its gift shops, pubs and a myriad of specialty retail stores.
White Rock History
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Henry Thrift cleared land for the first cottage here in 1892. Early European settlers, in the 1900s, were attracted by the area's natural beauty and its proximity to the U.S. border. Logging and processing by the Campbell River Lumber Company were early industries, and the area grew quickly when the Great Northern Railway line was finished in 1909. White Rock's historic railway station was completed in 1913.
The wooden pier was built after local saw mills were offered East Coast business once the Panama Canal was opened. In 1914, the finished pier was 628 feet in length, and the following year another 985 feet was added. In 1953, a breakwater was built to protect the pier.
The area grew during the Second World War, as women and their children moved here awaiting the return of their soldier husbands. White Rock incorporated as a municipality in 1957 when it had 6,000 residents, and has since grown to 18,000. By 1976 the pier had deteriorated to an unsafe condition, and the community formed a Save-the-Pier committee. In April 1982, the pier and White Rock were both declared heritage sites.
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Annual festivals & events: May Fair (May), Tour de White Rock Cycle Race
(late June), Crescent Beach Triathlon (Aug), Sea Festival (1st weekend Aug).
Here are other communities nearby:
[ Whistler |
West Van |
North Van |
Vancouver |
Richmond |
Delta |
Burnaby |
New West |
Port Moody, Coquitlam |
Surrey |
Langley ]
Community Map
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