We all will remember how we felt when we heard the news of the terrible tragic event at the Vancouver Lapu Lapu festival, when a man made it past the safety barriers and roared down a closed roadway packed with people. Eleven people died, dozens were injured many of them hospitalized. The Provincial government was quick to respond. An inquiry was ordered and the findings and recommendations were released in short order.
Some of the recommendations are listed below.
The Six Recommendations
Retired B.C. Supreme Court judge Chris Hinkson led the independent commission. He was tasked by the provincial government to report back with his findings by June 30. The report is dated June 26.
Yung said the provincial government accepts the intent of the recommendations and will be working through them to determine how best to implement them.
"This is about keeping people safe, supporting people maintaining public confidence in the safety of our gatherings with our friends families and across the city and across the province, because everyone deserves and should be safe."
1. Risk assessment in event planning
In the first recommendation, the report noted that all public events in the province regardless of size should be support by a risk assessment.
The recommendation notes that while it doesn't need to complex, it should consider the event's scale, location, activities and potential hazards. It adds that it should also evaluate existing safety measures, identify any gaps and assign clear responsibilities for emergency planning, access and crowd management.
The risk assessment could be prepared by event organizers, municipal staff, or collaboratively, depending on local capacity.
2. Clarifying jurisdictional roles in event oversight
Hinkson said the province should establish clear criteria for consultation that defines the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved in the event planning, approval and emergency response. He adds the framework should determine who's in charge of decision making and how to coordinate between event organizers, municipal and regional governments, first responders, provincial agencies, and Indigenous authorities.
The report points to adapting elements of the United States' National Incident Management System.
3. Training for planning support and a centralized hub
4. Support for event delivery and local capacity
5. Foster local collaboration on event safety
6. Promote learning through event evaluation
Last Saturday evening July 26, I was tasked with delivering greetings on behalf of the city at the Salsa Dancing By The Pier evening in Memorial Park. This was the second such event I attended on behalf of the city this summer. Both events were packed with hundreds of dancers in Memorial Park enjoying our beautiful seaside.
When I left the event I couldn't help but notice the safety bollards dotted along the entrance to the park along Marine Drive, were unlocked. The bollards are there to prevent any unwanted vehicle access into Memorial Park. I thought given the recent tragic event at the Lapu Lapu festival this may be a safety violation. I imagined the bollards were unlocked so they could be removed to allow the organizers of the dance to be able to back a vehicle in to unload all their supplies including a transportable dance floor used for the event. I wrongly assumed the bollards would be locked at the end of the event by city staff once the event concluded Saturday evening @ 10 p.m.
On Sunday morning I had a meeting with a business owner on Marine Drive @ 10 a.m. As I walked along Marine Drive I cast my eyes over to check the safety status of the bollards. I was taken back in that the bollards remained unlocked? Again I will take full responsibility that I wrongly assumed city staff would be down there before crowds arrived. I was wrong.
Now knowing we may have a problem I drove down Monday morning to check the lock status. Still unlocked.
I immediately contacted JIM GORDON Director of Engineering & Municipal Operations / City of White Rock. I wished to make Mr. Gordon aware of the situation in order that he possibly would be able direct staff to remedy the problem. In that over the years I have come to depend on immediate responses from Mr. Gordon I was confident the problem was solved. I was in no way directing him to do anything, which of course is not the job of council, but I was confident he would immediately address the problem.
On Tuesday as I was driving along Marine drive I glanced over and was horrified that the bollard locks on two of the bollards were actually danging off of the top of the bollards in clear view. My call to MR. GORDON to follow up on my Monday call was met with a very agitated response. MR GORDON was shocked the problem had not been attended to as he had specifically followed up with the department of the city that was responsible to oversee the safety at civic events. He thanked me and assured me he would address this lapse in safety measures.
It gets worse. On Wednesday the problem still existed, I left a phone message for MR. GORDON. I have yet to receive a reply. The locks have now been installed and it appears there are new combination locks in place of the old original key type locks. The actual reason for combination locks I do not know.
In closing I will revert to a portion of our long time columnist DON PITCAIRN'S editorial in The Naked Truth column which ran back in April where he identified safety problems in White Rock and Surrey's Crescent Beach that clearly allowed a similar event to the LAPU LAPU festival to happen in our community.
Over two months ago on Feb. 24, I wrote a rather chilling column titled "TNT on VAW" that exposed the safety problems at both Crescent Beach and White Rock, which allowed vehicles unauthorized access to the waterfront walkways in both of these seaside communities. The second paragraph began with "Now most people would not find this alarming but with vehicles being used as battering rams in pedestrian areas throughout the world, I thought this problem needed to be investigated." It ended with "The recent Mr. Chill ice cream van bombing attempt on the W.R. Bennett Bridge in Kelowna in January should serve as a wake-up call to the need for increased security around pedestrian walkways in this country including here in the Semiahmoo peninsula. This is even more important for those areas that attract large crowds for events, holidays or warm summer days." With the "Vehicle As Weapon" ramming attack at the Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver this weekend, it unfortunately appears that my fears were both accurate and prophetic.
When the article was brought to the aforementioned MR. GORDON much to his credit he immediately put in motion measures to address the majority of the areas of concern Don Pitcairn identified.
So here we are on the eve of our annual Sea Festival where thousands of visitors and residents will visit our waterfront. Fingers crossed all safety measures will be in place.
I for one will be watching.
We can do better. And we should.
DAVID CHESNEY
Editor/Publisher
Local News
July 31, 2025
White Rock Makes The Top 10
Top 12 British Columbia Towns To Visit In 2025 according to World Atlas
Between glistening turquoise lakes, jaw-dropping coastal scenery, and mesmerizing mountainous landscapes, Canada's Pacific Province is renowned for its diverse landscapes. When you combine fascinating cultures, incredible eateries, world-famous vineyards, and various outdoor activities, this extraordinary province makes for the picture-perfect getaway for all kinds of travelers.
White Rock, a breathtaking beach town on the Canada-US border, is another of the top British Columbia towns to visit in 2025. Soak in the stunning views of Semiahmoo Bay as you wander down the White Rock Pier. Stretching 470 meters into the bay, this extraordinary landmark has a sign marking itself as “Canada’s Longest Pier.” Listen to live music at Blue Frog Studios, a state-of-the-art venue where concerts are held in an intimate and immersive setting. Taste mouthwatering, authentic Mexican food or enjoy delicious Vietnamese cuisine made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients at two local restaurants.
Whistler, Tofino, Nelson, Osoyoos, Pemberton and Golden also made the list as the best cities in BRITISH COLUMBIA to visit.
Police arrest man with firearm in South Surrey
Police have arrested a man armed with a firearm in South Surrey (District 5).
On Wednesday (July 30, 2025), at approximately 2:15 pm, Surrey Police Service (SPS) was notified by Richmond RCMP of a man allegedly armed with a firearm in a residence near 158 Street and 20 Avenue, Surrey.
SPS members attended the area and contained the residence with assistance from Lower Mainland Integrated Police Dog Service (IPDS) and RCMP Lower Mainland Urban Patrol Helicopter (AIR1).
SPS trained negotiators made contact with the man and after successful negotiations, he exited his residence and was arrested.
SPS Frontline Investigative Support Team (FLIST) were contacted and are assisting with the investigation.
The man is currently in custody and the investigation is ongoing.
July 30 2025
Soft Opening
Surrey's newest facility, Cloverdale Sport & Ice Complex, is conveniently located in the heart of Cloverdale's community.
Parks and Rec. GM Laurie Cavan told Mayor Brenda Locke and Surrey City Council July 28 the city will start putting the building through its paces mid-August.
This facility has two sheets of ice with a third sheet planned, skate and helmet rentals, skate sharpening, multipurpose rooms, food services, and free parking.
This fully-accessible facility offers registered and drop-in arena programs for everyone in the community from preschool to seniors.
Call 604-501-5100 Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm
In person at any recreation facility
Drop-in schedules
Sign up for most drop-in activities 72 hours in advance
Join your favourite drop-in activity or find a new hobby! Seniors services and youth membership drop-in activities are exempt. Please note: public skating and swimming do not require 72 hour early sign up. Payment can be made at the time of visiting recreation facilities.
A new radio station has launched in Surrey. Goodbye SPICE RADIO hello SWIFT.
Sudhir Datt launched Spice Radio in 2005 she became the first Canadian woman to receive a broadcasting license from the CRTC. She's also been named Broadcaster of the Year by the British Columbia Association of Broadcasters and is a Member of the Order of British Columbia.
SPICE RADIO signed off this past Friday and instantly the airwaves were filled with a dynamic mix of news, talk shows, music, current affairs, and community programming in a variety of South Asian languages—including Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, and more. The new radio station will be known as RADIO SWIFT and is located at 1220 on your am radio dial.
Join us for the 74th annual White Rock Sea Festival & Semiahmoo Days Saturday & Sunday
The City of White Rock and Semiahmoo First Nation welcome the community back for the 74th annual White Rock Sea Festival and Semiahmoo Days, an unforgettable weekend of sun, surf, and celebration taking place August 2-3, 2025, at the waterfront.
Experience an exciting lineup of activities, performances, and entertainment across three activation zones located at:
Semiahmoo Park: Enjoy a weekend of live music, family-friendly games, Indigenous artisans, and food trucks at the iconic band-shell overlooking Semiahmoo Bay. Musical highlights include Legacy’s tribute to Billy Joel and Elton John (Saturday) the country trio The Heels as well as the soul/Motown sounds of BIG CITY SOUL @ 3 p.m. (Sunday).
Environmental Zone (East Beach): Explore hands-on sustainability exhibits with Parks Canada and dive into marine education at the White Rock (P’Quals) with the Vancouver Aquarium.
Memorial Park: Catch non-stop live music on the Main Stage, with surf-rockers California Surf on Saturday, and the soulful sounds of Sadé Awele on Sunday. Don’t miss the crowd-favourite Waiters Race Saturday evening.
The nighttime Torchlight Parade, presented by Waste Connections of Canada, floats down Marine Drive Saturday evening starting at 8:30 p.m. by Oxford Street and ends at Semiahmoo Park.
Fireworks will conclude the Festival with a spectacular display on Sunday starting at 10:15 p.m. View the show from anywhere along the waterfront.
Admission is free, and all are encouraged to walk, cycle, or take transit to the waterfront.
NOTE: The very popular Saturday and Sunday salmon BBQ in Semiahmoo Park as well as the annual hot rod custom car show on Sunday in Semiahmoo Park have both been cancelled this year .
July 28, 2025
Don't Try Drinking and Driving in White Rock
Cst. Ravnit Sandhu
White Rock RCMP officers Cpl. Luc Lamoureux and Cst. Ravnit Sandhu both received Gold recognition from the National Impaired Driving Recognition Program. Cpl. Lamoureux removed 24 impaired drivers from the streets of White Rock in a calendar year, while Cst. Sandhu removed 27 impaired drivers. Gold recognition was issued to officers who removed 24 or more impaired drivers.
Despite updated legislation and increasingly severe judicial measures, impaired driving remains the leading criminal cause of death in Canada. Necessary steps in reducing the negative impact of impaired drivers include the detection of these drivers and intervention by law enforcement officers.
If you observe an impaired driver, call 9-1-1 and provide location and vehicle details to police.
UPDATE July 29;
RCMP arrest impaired driver who was more than four times the legal limit
Friday evening at approximately 11:00 p.m. White Rock RCMP received a 9-1-1 call advising of a dangerous and possibly impaired driver in the 14000 block of North Bluff Road. Police responded quickly and located the vehicle shortly after receiving the call.
A 50-year-old male from White Rock was arrested for impaired driving and is facing charges after providing breath samples that were over four times the legal limit.
RCMP thanked the vigilant caller who reported the incident and emphasized the crucial role the public plays in helping keep roads safe.
The male was released from custody after having his drivers licence suspended with a court date scheduled in November.
White Rock RCMP urge anyone who suspects an impaired driver to call 9-1-1 immediately.
July 26, 2025
Welcome To "City By The Sea"
The first of three new murals in White Rock has been completed.
Located on the back of the Balsam Street Comfort Station, the mural, titled “City by the Sea” was created by artist, Rory Doyle.
According to the artist:
“The mural intends to celebrate a vintage era of White Rock’s oceanside strip through blockbuster type, housing a panoramic look at West to East. Nodding to the classic Greetings from postcard, each word holds its own experience including classic cars cruising the strip, the historic train passing through and the sun setting behind vibrant sea life.”
The next two murals will be located on the front of the Balsam Street Comfort Station as well as the city's Parkade on West Beach.
Canada names 3 Local Players to Women's Rugby World Cup 2025
World number 2-ranked Canada name their squad of 32 to compete at Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 in England.
Head Coach Kevin Rouet has named Canada’s 32-player squad for Women's Rugby World Cup 2025, which kicks off in Sunderland, England on 22 August.
Canada will compete in Pool B with matches against Fiji at the York Community Stadium on Saturday, 23 August, before further matches against Wales in Salford on 30 August and Scotland in Exeter on 6 September.
Forwards
Rachel Smith (South Surrey) – University of British Columbia
In what has now become a yearly PSA, here is my fifth installment on Foxtail Barley or Spear Grass (horde um jubatum) that is a threat to your furry friend if you are a dog owner. Last year's TNT on this prickly subject was on June 8 titled "Spear Grass Stabbing Dogs which you can scroll down in the online archives to read. While I have done my best to bring this pet threat to both the public and other media attention, there are many people who are blissfully aware of the risk this plant poses. Unfortunately little is being done to manage its spread and with our warmer drier summers foxtail barley is moving from marginal growth areas right into people's manicured lawns.
Signs have been posted on the Christopherson Steps warning of an upcoming closure for repairs. This staircase provides access to both Crescent Beach and Crescent Rock beach. The following information is now on the Surrey.ca website:
Christopherson Steps will be closed for maintenance from Monday, August 11 through Friday, August 15. We invite you to explore our newly upgraded stairs at 1001 Steps during this closure. They are located at the 12500 Block of 15A Avenue.
Cst. Ravnit Sandhu
Big City Soul
