Surrey Photowalk: Whalley
byIt’s no secret that I was born and raised in Surrey, and when people ask where I went to school or which neighbourhood I was in I do not hesitate to say Whalley – despite the judgement that may follow. You see, Surrey has a bad reputation in the eyes of some and once you take a closer look, you might wonder why.
I lived next to a park with playground, wooded area with fitness circuit, baseball diamonds, swimming pool, and soccer fields. I rode my bike or walked to the corner store to buy penny candy (which was 5 cent candy at the time) and stayed out past twilight playing adventure games in our yard or tree-fort. I loved my childhood home. When my friend and I would walk over to Gateway SkyTrain station to head downtown we were always nervous to get off at Broadway or Granville stations. Were they safe? It was pretty much news to me that I grew up in the area people are currently calling Surrey’s “Inner City”.
Photo by: Jenny Miles
A few weeks ago I went for a photowalk with my sister and three of my nephews around my old stomping grounds. We checked out the new community centre and skate park, the home of Whalley Little League, walked down King George Highway, and ended up at the Surrey Farmers Market at Central City.
Photo by: Jenny Miles
Photo by: Jenny Miles
Over the next few weeks I’ll be profiling a different neighbourhood in Surrey by way of a photowalk with my sister. If you’re in the area, feel free to join us (I’ll put a note on Twitter with exact times) as I capture Fleetwood, Guildford, Newton, Cloverdale, and Fraser Heights and South Surrey.
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Love this post. I have absolutely no problem telling others i’m from Whalley or that i live in Newton. And I defend it every time someone has something to say about Surrey. Very much looking forward to the rest of your photo walks!
Great, I love how you’ve captured the downtown!
Love love love this post! Thank you … I have been living in Surrey now for 6 years, and proud to call Whalley my home… We are currently raising 4 children and have no lack of entertainment to provide them with in the area. Beautiful scenery, a downtown core, easy access to transit…We love the rec centre, the farmers markets on Wednesdays… I could go on forever!! Thanks again for this blog post 🙂
Love this!! We have lived in Surrey since 1999 and are raising our family in this diverse and amazing city. I would love to join you when you make it out our way 🙂
Great post and awesome pictures! My husband and I have been living in this neighborhood for the past 2 years and other than the rowdy teenagers on weekends (something to be expected when living in such close proximity to a skytrain station, I suppose), we have had no issues. We love going to the Farmer’s market every week, attending the multitude of festivals at Holland Park, and the wonderful restaurants in the area. We found some of the best Pho, sushi, Indian and Jamaican food here!
Love these posts, highlighting things related to your upbringing. And family photowalks are the best 🙂