White Rock

The city of White Rock is located in southern BC's Metro Vancouver Regional District. The city of Surrey surrounds the city on three sides, whereas Semiahmoo Bay borders the city towards the south. Towards the south of the city of White Rock, the Southern Gulf Islands within the Strait of Georgia are located as well as the Semiahmoo First Nation, that is in the city limits of Surrey.

The city of White Rock is situated just of Highway 99, a mere 45 km or 32 miles southeast of Vancouver. The city is also just north of the Peace Arch/Douglas crossing, that is a USA and Canada border crossing. The neighboring cities comprise Ladner and Tsawwassen and this is one of the locations of the ferry terminal which provides ferry service to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

The Straits Salish People originally dominated the region from Boundary Bay in the north to Birch Bay to Birch Bay, Washington. In 1791, there is some evidence of Semiahmoo First Nation permanent encampments existing in the year 1791, when they were first put in contact with white people. The beginnings of white settlement happened sometime in the 1850s. These camps were situated along the waterfront at the western and eastern limits of the existing City of White Rock. The Semiahmoo People also constructed forts to serve as lookouts for raiders from the northern first nations. There is one such fort located in the Ocean Park vicinity.

The city of White Rock has been a preferred holiday location for decades. The city is known for its quaint restaurants, kilometers of wide, sandy beaches, fantastic sunsets and fun art galleries. The epicenter of this community is Marine drive. This is a busy strip that extends along the oceanfront and is bounded by a popular stretch of grass, near the beach and by some railway tracks.

Just east of the pier on the beach is a massive white 486-tone boulder. This city landmark is where the municipality gets its name. Glacial action produced this rock deposit. It preserves its white appearance by being regularly painted. The actual arrival of the rock is the basis of various interesting First Nations legends. One colorful Native legend says the rock marks the spot where the Transformers, who were emissaries of the Sagalie Tyee, the Creator, once passed. There is another legend which states the white rock marks the landing spot of a stone which a young Indian Chief threw across the Strait of Georgia. The story says that he and his bride moved from Vancouver Island to White Rock and made their home there together.

The region started a migratory trend, if this second legend holds true, that is still occurring now. Retirees flock to the region from colder regions of Canada. White Rock has likewise earned the nickname Wrinkle Rock by some of its residents. This is a reference to the many citizens who reside there being of retirement age.

The city hosts a lot of excellent community events, such as the Festival of Lights, Mayfair, the Sea Festival and Christmas by the Sea. These are just a small sample of the most popular events taking place throughout the year.