Question about Vancouver

[stinkynuts]

I have been living in Surrey for less than a year. I notice that when people ask where I live and I reply Surrey there is an awkward reaction. Some just quietly say "Oh..." But I can tell they are thinking sonething.

What is the reason for this reaction?

 

[stinkynuts]

Also, I said this was a question about Vancouver, but is Surrey too far to be considered Vancouver? Burnaby, Richmond, New West seem to be considered so, and Coquitlam even. Where is the line drawn? I just tell all my old friends I live in Vancouver.

 

[poonerboi]

Surrey is known as nothing but junkies hookers and homeless people. Surrey girls have long been known for being tramps. Essentially surrey is the ghetto of white trash. The city has cleaned up its act alot but it's a label that will be hard to shed.

 

[stinkynuts]

Surrey is known as nothing but junkies hookers and homeless people. Surrey girls have long been known for being tramps. Essentially surrey is the ghetto of white trash. The city has cleaned up its act alot but it's a label that will be hard to shed.

Wow, that is strange. I live in Cloverdale and it's middle class immigrants, mostly East Indians. Rather nice area. I guess this is just part of Surrey.

 

[Ms Erica Phoenix]

If you go back to the middle of the 20th Century, when my mom's family moved to Cloverdale, Surrey was still largely undeveloped & semi rural...like Chilliwack is now. In the early 80s, the province decided to throw a party for the world & started to transform the face of the city, & drove a lot of social undesirables (hookers & junkies) over the bridge & out to Surrey. It hasn't always had the rep it has now. Then again, I can remember a time when no one with good intentions went into Yaletown after dark (unless you were looking for the gay stroll, blow of dubious quality, or an after hours club! There are still a lot of nicer neighborhoods in Surrey: it's not all Rootin Tootin Newton!

 

[sybian]

If you go back to the middle of the 20th Century, when my mom's family moved to Cloverdale, Surrey was still largely undeveloped & semi rural...like Chilliwack is now. In the early 80s, the province decided to throw a party for the world & started to transform the face of the city, & drove a lot of social undesirables (hookers & junkies) over the bridge & out to Surrey. It hasn't always had the rep it has now. Then again, I can remember a time when no one with good intentions went into Yaletown after dark (unless you were looking for the gay stroll, blow of dubious quality, or an after hours club! There are still a lot of nicer neighborhoods in Surrey: it's not all Rootin Tootin Newton!

Yup....and if you go further back, and there are still people alive who can remember.
Hastings street was a fantastic place to raise a family....although that was 65 or 70 years ago.
There are some very nice neighbourhoods in Surrey, and I'm not sure ,but I've been told it's one of the largest municipalities in BC,

 

[Oldfart]

There is an old joke about a sign in the middle of the Patullo bridge that says "Now leaving Surrey. Please resume normal behaviour."

 

[westwoody]

As Erica says, Yaletown used to grungy, anyone remember the barrel factory under the bridge? The gay stroll in the lumber yard?

Coal Harbour used to rough too with all the boat shops and cockroach infested slum houses.

If you are happy in Surrey fuck the haters.

 

[Linden]

Always surprised how many people from Surrey claim they live in White Rock but don't.

 

[Lurker 123]

Are you talking about Surrey City or Surrey Township? Same applies to Langley. Langley City has very high crime rates, actually it is much worse than Surrey. Whereas Langley Townships have very nice areas to live in and to raise a family. So when you are talking about Surrey ,very likely you are talking about Surrey City which are Newton , Whally and Guildford areas. As long as you are outside these areas, you are in a very peaceful area!

 

[Dday47]

That usually only applies to people who live in South Surrey. For one, it’s separated from surrey proper by a large stretch of nothing. Two, there is a huge difference between North Surrey, Newton and Morgan Creek. I guess it would be more appropriate to call it South Surrey, but honestly White Rock isn’t that nice compared to Elgin, Morgan Creek, or Crescent Beach, unless we are talking about the few beach front properties that are located near the West side. However, even those properties are trumped by the far west Surrey Mansions ($10million+).
This just goes to show you that Surrey has a bad rep. and most people want to avoid that stereotype.
On another note, ever noticed the rampant drug addictions of rich Caucasian kids in the White Rock area? Most of them are total fuckups who turn to drugs, because mommy and daddy were too busy raking in millions and neglected their kids.

 

[Mrmotorscooter]

Surrey was the largest municipality in BC but is now a City, it has the largest RCMP contingent in Canada and has many different town centres. The crime train (sky train) is what has negatively impacted the place all the lowlifes from Vancouver and around the country have moved here as it’s more affordable than downtown. The DTES is still the largest drug den in BC but this problem has spread everywhere, North Van, Maple Ridge has a large homeless problem as does Abbotsford and Chillwack. Surrey will soon be the largest City in BC as it has an enormous amount of room and is growing exponentially, LRT is comming and it will experience massive growth. It was once pioneer farm families and logging along with mills and river industries like fishing. I read a future report some time ago and it predicted the population will spread right out to Hope and there will be 11 million people living in the lower mainland. I’m glad I won’t be here to see that!
Surrey is still a very nice place and Cloverdale is still a quaint little town Center, check out The Henry, it’s the old Clova Inn Pub. Monday nite after 6 all you can eat tacos for 10 bucks, they are very good!

 

[jgg]

Eventually it will all slide into the Pacific.

 

[Ms Erica Phoenix]

i moved ro Surrey right by the King george station from DT Vancouver 2 months ago. I gotta say, there r many more drug addicts around but i dont find it here as ghetto. Its actually safe but many bad drivers.
Only complaint is that it is not diversified. My area is pretty much just dominated by Indians. But if u go to Guildford or White Rock its totally different.

White Rock is a separate city...has been since the 50s. It has a very strict geographical boundary, & back in the day, was a popular holiday destination. People from Vancouver would take the train out in the morning, back later in the evening. I have a very vague childhood memory of taking the train to the beach, but I would have been pretty small. My family moved there when I was 12; when I was in high school we used to say that "White Rock means never having to say you're Surrey!" Still, we were part of the Surrey School District, and that meant that we were dismissed at 2:10! (Schools in Surrey have historically dismissed early so that kids could get home in time for afternoon chores on the farm!) Living on Marine Drive, to me that meant if I skipped my last class of the day, I could be on the beach by 1:30 in May, June & September!