Surrey ‘eyesore’ saga drags on Year 17 (via Vancouver 24 hrs)

 More on the ongoing Public Market saga. Year 17.

Read full story below.

Surrey ‘eyesore’ saga drags on | Vancouver 24 hrs

 Clarification Anyone who lives in the Sullivan Heights or Panorama area area knows that there hasn't been security , let alone 24 hour security on the premises for over a month. The head of bylaws for Surrey was made aware of this over a week ago. It is a dangerous place and it needs to go.

So Much Potential for a Beautiful Community Space

A Change of Direction....

Apologies for the lack of posts recently. Have been working on a few new projects, one of them a  new and separate blog focusing more on issues throughout the Metro Van region in general. Social, economic, cultural, and a good dose of  'what have you'.

 Lots going on in the world  and here at home in south Newton. Will be blogging about the local news and what's happening on the streets here in this part of Surrey, BC. Much to discuss. Some difficult issues to deal with. But, deal with them we must.

  The ReNewtonNation blog started 3 years ago almost to the day.What began as a movement to bring focus to the remarkable and rapid decline in the neighbourhood and the dire need for revitalization has taken a few twists and turns along the way. 
Most recently ReNewton has been looking at the continuing problem with crime and safety. I'll be writing about that soon. 
Stay tuned...

Fixing our Broken Cities. Lessons from Medellin

In case you missed Brent Toderian and Charles Montgomery on CBC's The National last night, here's the full video.

Facing reality.

I've spent the last two days sitting in a courtroom at the preliminary inquiry relating to the Julie Paskall ( our Hockey Mom) murder case.
 It has not been easy.
There are times when you just can't ignore reality. These 2 days brought that home loud and clear. We need to do better.

Yosef Gopaul goes on trial on March 12, 2015 at BC Supreme Court in New Westminster.

 

 At the moment, writing about pop-up shops, placemaking, sidewalk cafes and all  of the lovely things that make for a happy city is the furthest thing from my mind. 

I'll be back soon.
-JH

New Year, New Newton ?

Downtown Newton Business Improvement Association and ReNewton

 in The Now Newspaper January 15 edition.

Read here

 May this be the year that Newton rises up and shines!

What Makes a Great Place?

Downtown Newton  has the potential  to be more than just another suburban town centre.

We have the lovely Old Surrey Restaurant heritage building,  but the rest is a bit of a mish mash of architectural styles. Some good, some not so much.
Downtown Newton needs its own brand; its own distintive feel. Luckily that slightly shabby, old bricks and weathered wood look is easy to  replicate.

 We have the most amazing template to work with here: A mix of (potential) parks and public spaces plus the start of a vibrant colourful international  retail mix with a good dose of authentic grit.
The best is yet to come  here. You can feel the desire in the residents and business communities. The place has great 'bones'. Let's get working and  turn this place around. Who's with us?

What Role do Arts and Culture Play in Community Revitalization?

"....in order to be successful, cities are going to have to be dense, diverse, animated and interesting.

That only happens when arts and culture are at the heart of communities".

Here in downtown Newton we have the  jumping off points to creating something magical, vibrant and authentic.
 A new business improvement association, several international food shops, Surrey artists' fave hang out  Deserres ,  an intimate cultural centre with lots of potential, and a core community group of individuals who are more than ready to get to work.
What we need now, as the video states is a ' coalition of the willing'.
Let's hope 2015 is the year that Newton finally gets its due.

 I hope you're as inspired  as I am by this brief video.

2014 Moments

Happy New Year ReNewton Nation!

 that's you guys :)

Thanks for supporting ReNewal and ReVitalization of downtown Newton.

May 2015 will be our year to shine!

In Remembrance

At 4:45 this evening,  a small, brief and quiet gathering will be held in The Grove in downtown  Newton.  We will be coming together to honour the life of Julie Paskall, who was attacked  outside the Newton Ice Arena one year ago tonight.
This is meant to be a time of quiet, thoughtful reflection: Not a time for blame or politics or controversy.  Some will bring poems. Others will share a special reading.
For some of us, the senseless attack on Julie was deeply personal. We ask for the media's respect and understanding.

 For those who wish to attend, please bring  tealights or candles if possible and if desired, flowers.
 We plan to walk from the Grove to the memorial site afterward to place flowers and candles. 
We will conclude  before 5:30.
Thank you
Update:  Thank you to all who attended the intimate gathering this afternoon. A very special thank you to the Paskall family members who joined in. You are all very brave. We share your pain, and we will not forget your mom.

One year later.

ReNewton Year in ReView

 A lot happened in Newton in 2014.

  Stay Tuned for an Upcoming Post..... 

ReNewton Year in ReView.

 It was one hell of a year.

One Step toward Retrofitting Suburbia

 Think of the places in Metro Vancouver that attract people and commerce. Commercial Drive in Vancouver is one very successful area. People feel good about living, working and visiting this neighbourhood.

 Maybe it's time for Surrey to return to the "old school" main streets that encourage walking and a sense of community. We need to get away from our car-centric culture. In order to do that, Surrey needs to change its  commercial parking requirements.

Sprawling suburban parking acreages are so 70s. Time  for change.   

Full Blog Post by Matt Taylor here

Keep Your Human Paws off Surrey's Salmon Please!

 Judging from an encounter I had yesterday while walking through our neighbourhood park, it appears we might very well need to do a little public awareness campaign on the importance of Surrey's many salmon spawning streams. I am fortunate to have one just steps from my back yard gate.

 Three men were walking along the trail through the park, one of them carrying a large fishing net. We started a friendly conversation and they told me they were on their way to scoop up the salmon  they'd spotted earlier.  

One of them said they done this before. I explained why it wasn't such a great idea and that we needed the salmon to lay their eggs and that it was hey, kind of important, ya know?  

The circle of life and all that jazz.

And besides, these fish are not what you might call 'fresh catch of the day'. They're banged up and so close to mush it would take a braver soul than me to chow down on one of these Coho.

  Talk about Ew!    

After our little chat they turned around and walked out of the park. I sincerely hope they won't try that again. 

  After all, a female salmon can lay up to 5000 eggs and that's a lot of fish in our coastal waters.

JOY TO The GROVE !

 Saturday, December 13,  4-6 PM

Make plans to join

 Friends of the Grove

 for a fun family event of music, hot chocolate, and Christmas goodies, plus lots of raffle prizes too!

 If you are able to donate a gift card or other prize please send a message to  hey-jude@telus.net

Downtown Newton's Time to Shine...

Downtown Newton is a great place to be. 

There are lots of fun shops, cafes and places to explore here. We're  even working on a self-guided walking tour! 

  However, one thing that is mentioned in conversation is that after dark, we're not getting as much bustling family oriented activity on the streets as we'd like.  We want to encourage more families to use the downtown area at different times of the day. Right now that's not happening as much as it could be.

Downtown Newton has a lot of city owned vacant land and it's not being utilized in any capacity. Sooo.... here's an idea that could make use of the area to the south of the existing  community centre. How much fun would this be?  Hot chocolate and popcorn anyone?  Evening skating with the little ones? Remember  how well used the artificial ice rink  was at Holland Park during the 2010 Olympics? And in the summer why not switch it up and bazinga! It's a roller-skating rink.  

Our downtown centre has great 'bones' and so much potential as a  little urban village. Let's get moving and capitalize on that.

Let's encourage family friendly activities in our downtown core.
 This is just one idea. Can you think of a few of your own?

Just look at what can be done with a vacant commercial lot, some lights and a little community spirit.  Don't forget the  paint! Paint is the fastest, cheapest, easiest way to transform a space.

ReImagine    ReCreate    ReNew

Still reading?  Here's something to make you smile.

A Note of Thanks....

Just a brief note prior to Saturday's election day in Surrey.

There are worthy people on all slates and dedicated independents who faced an uphill battle.  A few months ago I gave an open invitation to all candidates to come to my south Newton neighbourhood of Panorama Northwoods and join me on a little tour. I wanted to show the dramatic changes in my community over the past years.  I wanted to show how rampant development has impacted our neighbourhood. I also wanted to show the parts of  downtown Newton that often go overlooked. We have the best deli in the city Greco's, the most amazing art, craft gift and toy store DeSerres and the city's highest rated fine dining restaurant The Old Surrey Restaurant 

But, the truth is the last decade hasn't been kind to Newton in many ways and that needed to be acknowledged and really seen and explained firsthand.

  These candidates came to my home, walked through our woods and got to see  up close what our neighbourhood's concerns are.

Thank you to:

Council candidates:

Darlene Bowyer, 

Vera LeFranc,

Martin Rooney,

Beau Simpson 

and Judy Villeneuve

Mayoral  candidate: 

Barinder Rasode 

Whatever the outcome is at the end of the day tomorrow, I think the message has gotten through loud and clear. 

Newton is worth it. 

The people who live in this, the largest  town centre in all of Surrey deserve and have waited for a bright new future. 

Let's hope they get it.

ReNewton's Best of #PLACEmaking video hitlist

A  video collection of the Best of placemaking, urban planning  and how we retrofit suburbia, an idea whose time has come.
Enjoy! A wealth of knowledge and experience right here.

Putting the 'New' in Newton.

From City of Surrey 's "Build Newton" Booklet

June 2010

Plans for a revitalized town centre in Newton have been sitting on the shelf for far too long. 

 We encourage all residents of Surrey to lobby hard for action in this area. Newton is the heart and soul of Surrey, and has undergone dramatic change over the past 5-10-15 years.  We need to bring back the best of what we once enjoyed. Busy shops and offices, restaurants ( still really miss Earl's on KG & 74th!) Together we can do this.

Decisions were made and priorities were established that have in many cases, impacted the quality of life for families here. When our new mayor and council are elected, please join us as we raise our voices for a more vibrant, dynamic downtown.   We will be organizing  and asking  The city of Surrey to implement the long awaited plans to put the "New" in Newton.

 Your single voice makes a difference. 

Get ready to use it!

Attention Downtown Newton Businesses!

Are you a business owner/manager in Downtown Newton?
Would you like to be featured on the ReNewton blog?
 Send a message to hey-jude@telus.net for details.
We'll be picking a few businesses to highlight in an upcoming post:

  "ReNewton Raves and Faves" 

Because Every Single Person Has the Right to Live in a Dignified Environment.

My View

The Now Newspaper

Thursday October 30, 2014.

3 things to feel good about & one last request.

 Hey ReNewton Nation friends,

 Three things to feel good about today.

 1. The Newton Business Improvement Association is up and running!  Philip Aguirre from the landmark Old Surrey Restaurant in the heart of downtown Newton is the executive director. 

We're excited  to see what events the NBIA has planned for the DT core.

2. The pay parking that was in place for the last few years on the 7300 block of 137th St. has been eliminated. You now have 2 hours free  parking. This was something the business owners had fought hard for. Already there is more foot traffic on the sidewalk and in the shops and that's a good thing for everyone. Well done! And thank you to Councillor Judy Villeneuve who had a key role in this change.

3.  The people of  Newton, an area that emcompasses Sullivan Heights, Panorama Village, Strawberry Hill as well as Hyland and Panorama Northwoods are coming together as one voice.

They are demanding that attention be paid to our downtown core and the south King George corridor. This neighbourhood has been forced to absorb a disproportionate number of socio-correctional services and facilities with nothing positive given in return. 
The effects of this shift in demographics has been startling for this long time south Newton resident to witness. While other areas of Surrey get new multi million dollar recreation facilities and upgrades, Newton, with the largest population in  the city, is left to make do with inadequate and aging buildings. Now we hear that the top priority for rapid transit won't be  south along King George, but east  along 104th Ave. Newton residents deserve better than this, and they are coming out of the woodwork to have their say.  

These taxpayers aren't going to sit back and allow places like the boarded up gaming and retail complex at King George, 70th Avenue and Hall Road to sit abandoned for 16 years.
 That's how long the public market property on 64th Avenue and King George  has stood ( barely), unoccupied and rotting

King George and Hall Rd. near 70th Ave.

 16 long years is enough.  

We have asked for the city to purchase the property. We have pleaded, begged, and done everything we could think of to have the city of Surrey enforce its unsightly property bylaw. ( This place fits the criteria and then some) and yet, this eyesore remains as a constant visual to everyone who travels through the extremely busy intersection at King George & 64th Ave: "This is Surrey"

And we wonder why we can't shake our bad reputation...

 Abandoned building King George and 64th Ave.
Mayor Watts, as one last act before leaving office we're begging you, please tear down these walls.

Newton residents know they deserve better than this.

And that's something to feel very optimistic about.  

ReNewton ReMinder:  Voting day is Saturday November 15.