Jack White - Inspiration

The Better Block's Jason Roberts plus full Video from Surrey Steps Up.

The Ghastly Tragedy of the Suburbs -TED Talk Video with James Kunstler

  "Everyone Deserves to Live in a Dignified Neighbourhood" 

 Jane Jacobs

Current Abandoned Building- Vacant for 15 years.

 Some Paint, A few Pop-ups cafes, Food Trucks, Musicians and Here's a Place worth Caring about.
A place where people go to feel that they're a part of their community.   

 When it comes to the city/suburban planning debacle that is suburban sprawl without thought, the sometimes controversial  James Kunstler pulls no punches . 

Colorful and funny James is bang on.

We Can do Better.  

From Vacant to Vibrant. An Arts District for Surrey?

ReVisting ReNewton's  ReVitalization Goal....

Close your eyes and imagine this...

A vibrant corner in the heart of your city. Cafes, Shops, Music, Galleries,  FOOD!  and maybe a craft brewery or wine shop. Lots of retail, and live/work spaces above for artists and crafts people.

 A community hub for the rainbow of ethnicities who call this place home. One of the most appealing aspects of living in Newton is its cultural diversity. Perfect for an International Village type environment.

A 'Third Place"

 And, as so many of you  are telling us,  the return of the much loved farmers/public market of the 80s! 

The cries to bring the market back are heard everywhere we go!  

Now imagine this for the stretch of King George Blvd between 6oth and 74th Avenues  in the South Newton area of Surrey. Maybe the promised "Festival Street" could  become a magnet for young musicians and artists. Live/Work spaces, music and art studios anyone?

 The absolute smack-dab heart of Surrey.

 Right now it's still a dream, but  it could become a reality.  When I met with urban planning guru Ellen Dunham-Jones  last year at Simon Fraser University she encouraged us to " keep on fighting"to  Retrofit Suburbia

All it takes is bit of community spirit, a few dollars and decision makers with a vision and a mindset to think ever so slightly 'out-of-the-box'

Imagine ....

    THE GEORGE ARTS DISTRICT

not just for artists

One city's plan to create a vibrant arts+retail hub

Public gathering space - a place where ideas and community live,. A busy place is a SAFE place!

  

What one community did- notice any difference?

 If you support ReImagining, ReCreating and ReVitalizing Newton, 

consider yourself officially a member of ReNewton Nation

Vacant building on the King George has sat empty for 18 years

.

Newton got the slots back in 2012. They are slated to be removed soon.

* Slots have since been removed.

The King George is in need of a suburban retrofitting intervention!

ARTS DISTRICT-not just for artists

New community group in the neighbourhood

Quick post to let friends and neighbours know about a publc forum sponsored by the brand new Newton Community Association.  The NCA is headed by residents in  the area who have vast knowledge and experience dealing with issues around town.  I  think it will be an interesting event. Get there early as it is sure to be standing room only.

Retrofitting Suburbia

There are a few TED Talks that really stand out and deserve a second ( or third or fourth) viewing.
Ellen Dunham-Jones' Retrofitting Suburbia  is one of them.  I was thrilled to  meet Ellen and talk with her several months ago when she gave a lecture at Simon Fraser University in Surrey, BC.

One of the great tragedies of the 20th century has been what  the car culture has done to neighbourhoods and the sense of community that we all want and need as humans.
 We have  lost  those public squares, farmers markets, and cafes that contribute to a sense of community and what John Kunstler likes to refer to as " places people care about"  Places where neighbours see each other, get to know one another and chat with their local shop keepers. Places where we develop a sense of ownership. Places within walking distance from home. Places citizens care about.
 If home is your first place and work is your second place, the corner store or corner cafe or deli is known  as  your "third place"
 These TED Talks aren't  hour long lectures.  This one is short.  So grab a cup or coffee or glass of wine and watch this. It's worth it.

How to Build a Better Block

This is what ReNewton is all about! These guys are our heroes..  and....
 Jason and The Better Block are coming to Surrey  next month !

 Click on the link to find out more. Enjoy!

 How to Build a Better Block.

Never underestimate the power of food to bring everyone together.

Free Entertainment. Who doesn't love that?

Food Trucks. Heck Ya!

Special Events- Farmers Markets- Theme Nights

Lessons from Bryant Park and How People Interact in Public Spaces

Carousel brings families

Bryant Park  in Manhattan is one of my favourite places.
 It used to be a scary and unsafe. Then it was transformed. The first People for Public Spaces project is now one of the most enjoyable places in all of New York to just sit and watch people go by.

Want to know more about how people connected then and now?  Read this fascinating article.


Full version here -  Lessons to be learned from Bryant Park

Movable tables and chairs allow visitors to customize interaction

 an excerpt....

"Based on visits to parks and plazas in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston, Minneapolis, Montreal and Venice, Whyte and his acolytes formulated conclusions that were, for their time, counterintuitive. For example, he discovered that city people don’t actually like wide-open, uncluttered spaces. Despite the Modernist assumption that what harried urban people need are oases of nature in the city, if you bother to watch people, you see that they tend to prefer narrow streets, hustle and bustle, crowdedness. Build a high-rise with an acre of empty plaza around it, and the plaza may seem desolate, even dangerous. People will avoid it. If you want people to linger, he wrote, give them seating — but not just benches, which make it impossible for people to face one another. Movable chairs can be better. Also: Never cordon off a fountain. “It’s not right to put water before people and then keep them away from it,” Whyte wrote in his 1980 book, “The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces.” People want to splash, dip their toes, throw coins. He believed that dense greenery can make places feel less safe, that people find the fishbowl effect of sunken plazas disconcerting and, presciently, that food trucks draw crowds. Whyte’s insights were incorporated into 1975 revisions of New York’s zoning code, and the Bryant Park Corporation — credited with turning around the once-squalid park — bases its work on many of his principles."

Newton Means Business.

Update: January 2014

The former public market property at King George and 64th Avenue has been sold again. 

And still this building sits. A fence has been erected around the perimeter,but its gates have been breached many times and currently are wide open. Concrete barriers have been moved and the lot is now accessible to anyone who chooses, to drive right in.  Teens  looking for a shelter to party, squatters, drug users and sellers all make use of this dark dangerous hangout. 

A stumbling block on the road to revitalization.

   If we are truly serious about revitalization in Newton, wouldn't this be a good place to start? Sure would send a clear visual message that yes, Newton Means Business. 

Is it really asking too much for the city of Surrey to enforce its Unsightly Property Bylaw?

Surrey's Heart & Soul .... Why We Stay.

 From Panorama Ridge to Bear Creek, 

and

from Boundary Park to Sullivan Station, 

we are all Newton !

This Saturday Feb 15, the Newton Community Association is holding a public forum bewtween 2-4 at the Community Centre. ReNewton is not affiliated with the NCA,  but we share many of the same concerns.  Residents are encouraged to attend and  voice your concerns and ideas.

Newton has been  taking a beating recently, and it's a good time to remind  readers that there is more to this vast area than meets the eye.

 Here's a post from  last month. Just to keep things in perspective.



 Apologies for the delay in posting this. The public forum on safety last week in Newton was standing room only with hundreds more turned away.The event has been well covered by the usual suspects and  we'll leave it to them to hash out some of the bigger global issues.

 In the meantime I have taken time to ponder exactly what it is about our neighbourhood that keeps people here. Hint, it's not what you might think!

   Residents in other parts of Metro Vancouver have been asking....
  "Why would anyone want to live in Newton. Why haven't you moved yet?"

 This is Why We Stay

The People 

Newton residents are nothing if not authentic. They are salt-of-the-earth type folks. Unpretentious and genuine, they embody all that is good and worthy in this city.
 They are the hockey moms and baseball dads. The class field trip drivers and the music lesson givers.  They are the small business owners and the school teachers. The nurses and the construction workers. They work hard and put their families first. 

Much has been made of the fact that Newton is home to a large number of refugees from war torn countries such as Sudan and Somalia  and that this has created problems in  the area.  To be sure, there are challenges, but the beautiful rainbow of ethnicities is one thing this writer loves about the place! We are an international tapestry of cultures. A United Nations of Newton if you will. We need to find a way to capitalize on this unique aspect of our community. Every person who comes here has a gift to share. It might be something as simple as a flare for hospitality, cooking or  skilled artisan craftwork.

Newton has a rainbow of ethnicities  and cultural diversity.
That's what makes a community truly rich!

Different backgrounds make no difference in this neighbourhood.

Nature at Your Doorstep.

Literally.

One of many creeks in  Panorama Northwoods and Hyland Creek neighbourhoods.

The story goes that one hundred years ago, a municipal clerk looked across the Fraser River from New Westminster and was reminded of his home back in Surrey England. He saw lush green rolling hills, hundreds of babbling brooks and proclaimed this place Surrey.

The photo below is the view from my garden gate in south Newton. I feel so fortunate to have a protected salmon spawning creek basically, in my back yard. Every year we look forward to  'Salmon Homecoming." This year we were thrilled  to witness the return of not only the usual Chum species but also Sockeye. What a treat to fall asleep to the sounds of fish splish-splashing their way upstream to spawn right at our back door. 

Annual Salmon Run 

Yes, it's true! Surrey really IS the City of Parks!
This is  part of Hyland Park in the Panorama Northwoods neighbourhood

The Climate

Many people know that South Surrey and White Rock have more days of sunshine per year than other areas of Metro Vancouver, but did you know that Newton, specifically South Newton enjoys much the same climate?
West Vancouver, you can have your dark and dreary downpours, and Coquitlam keep your wretched rain.  Here in Newton we'll be having a decent, if not sunny day. It's true. It really is!

All that extra sun means easy access to farm fresh produce. 

Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and more.

Got Blueberries?  Sorry Richmond, Surrey has the best!

Ethnic diversity means lots of dining options. 

More hours of sunshine equals  farm fresh produce

Craving cheese? Greco's Mediterranean Foods is a  South Newton neighbourhood institution 

Food Boredom? Forget it! Look at these luscious Indian morsels  at Prabu Sweets

Cultural Diversity Shines Every Year at the Fusion Festival.

A Burgeoning Arts Scene

Surrey has a first class art gallery and arts centre located in Bear Creek Park. Art is my passion. Many of my artist friends and family in Vancouver including some who have had major exhibitions at the Vancouver Art Gallery, have visited the SAG and were  so impressed by the facility  and its exhibits. I agree. Instructors from Emily Carr have told me what a great gallery we have!

Arts 2013 opening at the beautiful Surrey Arts Centre

World class art  too!

The fabulous DeSerres Art Supply store opened in Newton in 2012. Canadian owned too!

Simon Fraser University easily accessible from Newton

Crescent Beach . Yes, this is Surrey

Clearly, there's a lot to love about living in Newton, the real centre of Surrey. So make a commitment. Next time you hear a tiresome Surrey or Newton joke  (and you most assuredly will), challenge the person on it.  Telling a disparaging Surrey joke is really a cowardly way of saying "we're better than you". And nothing could be further from the truth. 

Newton residents are a diverse bunch but they share common traits.

Authenticity. Resiliency. Determination.

As demonstrated in the past few weeks, here is a community with heart and a whole lot of soul.  We've been kicked around far too long. It's taken a tragedy to awaken a sleeping giant. And once awakened, there's no telling what it's capable of  achieving.

Get ready for a new Newton.

  Make way for the Comeback Kid.   

              

 Newton Strong

Still Working on "Why We Stay" Post...Stay tuned!

So sorry for the delay in posting. Still working on  the follow-up to Monday's public forum and a piece about  why we stay in Newton.

It's coming. Thanks for your patience!

Stay "Newton Strong" Friends!

#NewtonStrong: Surrey's Heart & Centre Stands Together

 Stay tuned...

ReNewton will be providing  a  full recap of the public forum held on Monday evening by the newly formed Newton Community Association plus some thoughts and recommendations as the community moves forward.
The standing room only meeting at the Seniors Centre in Newton, the heart and centre of Surrey is adjacent to the arena where hockey mom Julie Paskall was bludgeoned to death last week.

Hundreds of concerned citizens of all walks of life turned out on a chilly evening to voice their concerns and more importantly to offer recommendations.
 It's clear that this community cares  deeply about  recent tragic events and ongoing struggles within the neighbourhood.

The Worst Case Scenario ...

As I write this, a mother clings to life in a hospital bed. It is unlikely she will survive.

 Her crime? Doing what good mothers do. Picking up her son from a hockey tournament . 

She was savagely beaten in an area that once  was a family friendly sporting complex. Not any more. 

For years community groups have been pleading with city government to address the increasing violence and crime in this part of Surrey. Many homeowners believe it directly correlates with the move to  re-brand  City Centre  ( Whalley) as a gleaming new Metropolis.  Unfortunately, Newton has become the new Whalley, and  Whalley's Woes have become Newton's Nightmares. 

That is heartbreakingly true for one family tonight. 

 To Mayor Watts and  Surrey city council, this was what we feared would happen. We are beyond sad. This is a tragedy that  many residents feel could have been prevented, but it would have taken acknowledging  that the problem existed. And it appears that that was simply too bitter a pill to swallow. And that is a tragedy all on its own.

Full Story Here- Hockey Mom Beaten in Unprovoked Attack

 We will  keep you updated as this story unfolds.
 Update : Julie Paskall succumbed to her injuries Tuesday December 31, 2013

Will New Public Market Owners Mean a New and Exciting Place for Surrey Residents? Updated

  The Surrey Public Market property at King George and 64th Avenue  has once again sold.

 ReNewton and Friends are hopeful that with new owners, the residents of Sullivan Heights and Panorama Northwoods will finally be getting a  much desired shopping, dining, entertainment hub that  they've been waiting for.
Looks like a lot of condos are slated for this development as well. If this project is done correctly and with a vision for creating a neighbourhood gathering place, this is good news for the community. We will all be watching as things unfold over the next few months.
 Latest ReNewton News in the Now Newspaper  The Vancouver Sun also picked up the story in greater detail here.

Will  we be saying goodbye to this?

A neighbourhood hub with a vibrant and international vibe would be perfect! We have such a diverse community here !

Will we (finally) be saying goodbye to this?

Well, it looks as though we may have a change of ownership at the southeast corner of King George and 64th Avenue in Surrey. Rumour has it  the property has once again changed  hands.  

For  15 years  residents of Surrey, and travellers through this busy intersection, have been greeted with the dilapidated  eyesore seen below.  We can only hope that the new owner will take much needed action as soon as possible and create something wonderful for the growing South Newton area.

The Panorama Northwoods and Sullivan Heights  neighbourhoods are booming with trendy, new condos and townhomes,  home to a young urban demographic. What they've been yearning for is a vibrant community shopping  hub! Hopefully  one with an international feel complete with  cafes,  bakeries, veggie markets  and an urban artsy focus. 

Perhaps even the return of the once booming, much loved public market! 

 Let's hope third time is a charm! 

Current state of public market  building

Mixed use retail  plus residential complex- Looks great right?

Farmers markets are gaining popularity. Great  for any retail complex to incorporate one into its  plan

Sidewalks are for people!   How awesome would this be at the corner of KG &64th??

The Shops at Morgan Crossing is good example of mixed residential and retail
 

Ellen Dunham- Jones' must read book

Biking down the King George? Heck Yeah- if it were like this!

 This is what Seattle is doing to encourage residents to ditch their cars  and get onto the seat of their bikes.

 Good stuff Seattle!

 So many people we talk with would love to bike more, but they feel apprehensive. Being mere inches away from speeding cars and drivers who don't like sharing the road, isn't something that makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
 For cycling to gain ground as a viable transportation option, it first of all has to be safe.
And we're just not there yet.

Release the Hounds! Well, release one anyway..... Baskervilles at Newton Cultch til Oct 31

Wednesday evening a few of us locals attended an intimate opening night performance of
 Ellie King's  The Hound of the Baskervilles at the Newton Cultural Centre.

 Well  our newest civic treasure - (she has the award to prove it)! has done it again. 

Ellie King directs an uproariously funny spoof of the classic Sherlock Holmes story, expertly performed by 3 uber-talented  and energetic, really energetic  actors.

We highly recommend this production. You won't be disappointed! The calibre of acting is first rate and despite the limitations of the small 'black box' space, the show did not fail to thoroughly entertain. You will laugh! A lot.   

 There were even members of a Metro Vancouver Sherlock Holmes society in attendance! 

  The show runs til Oct 31 at 7:30 . Tickets are 25. with a pack of 4 for only 55. and  can be purchased by calling the Newton Cultural Centre at 604-594-2700  

Newton Cultural Centre is located at 

13530 72 Ave  Surrey,    +1 604-594-2700

The Old Surrey Restaurant & Bistro 72 are across the street so why not pop in before or after the show.

 Baskervilles gets the ReNewton stamp of approval.  Well Done!  

How to be a landlord in Metro Vancouver

 In light of the tragedy of the "Surrey Six" murders and current trial, a timely  piece on the perils and proper practice of screening tenants for rental property.
 Too many landlords aren't doing due diligence. The consequences can be disastrous....


How to be a landlord in Metro Vancouver

Mayor Watts, Enforce This Bylaw...

Lots of buzz about the last post " Mayor Watts, Tear Down These Walls"  Here's the story from the Peace Arch News.   Read here

Mayor Watts, Tear Down These Walls

All the good people of Surrey are asking for, is that the city enforce its unsightly property bylaw shown below.

 Set a deadline for the owner to remove the  building. If the deadline passes, the city must go in and clear the lot.
The city has the power to demolish the structure and charge the owner.

Unsightly Properties

Properties within the City of Surrey are required to be maintained at an acceptable level.  The Surrey Property Maintenance and Unsightly Premises By-law, 2007, No. 16393 (PDF. New window.) sets acceptable levels of maintenance and defines what is considered unsightly. Accumulation of junk, discarded materials and garbage, dead landscaping, uncontrolled growth of landscaping, and deterioration of fences, buildings or other structures are examples of items contained within the definition of unsightly in the by-law.

Enforcement procedures:

Once a complaint is received, an inspection is conducted by a By-law Enforcement Officer. If the By-law Enforcement Officer determines the property falls within the definition of an unsightly property, the by-law is explained to the property owner, as well as what must be done to clean up the property. A deadline for the clean-up is set by the By-law Enforcement Officer after the property owner has been notified of the problem.

If sufficient clean-up of the property has not taken place after the deadline has lapsed, the City may have the property cleaned up at the expense of the property owner. The cost of the clean-up will form a part of the property taxes of the property if the property owner does not pay.

Make a complaint online or call 604-591-4370 to make a complaint.

- See more at: http://www.surrey.ca/city-government/4682.aspx#Unsightly Property

Mayor Watts, Tear Down These Walls.

Update: January 2014

The property at King George and 64th Avenue has been sold again. And still this building sits. A fence has been erected around the corner, but its gates have been breached many times and currently remain wide open. Concrete barriers have been moved and the lot is now wide open for any one who chooses to drive right in. 

Is it really asking too much for the city of Surrey to enforce its Unsightly Property Bylaw?

Original Post: September 2013

ReNewton began with the goal of placing the spotlight on the condition of the old public market site in Surrey.  We asked the mayor in 2011 if the city could purchase the neglected property and build a much needed arts/recreation/sport facility or public market. Something for the community. The response was that the city had tried, but the owner at the time 'didn't want to sell'. 

However in Jan of 2012, the property in fact did sell, but  the city of Surrey wasn't the buyer. 

Nearly fifteen years after shutting its doors, the structure still sits. Unsightly, exposed and  unsafe. 

The building you see below at the highly visible intersection of King George and 64th Avenue has been in a continuous state of decay for  well over a decade. 

 It's time for the bulldozers to arrive and remove this dangerous, deplorable structure. 

Mayor Watts, tear down these walls.

The  residents of Panorama Ridge, Panorama Northwoods and Sullivan Heights,  not to mention the citizens and taxpayers of Surrey in general, deserve  better than this.