Out of all the Metro Vancouver cities, Surrey seems to be everyone’s favourite target for negativity, and one area has probably taken more punches from haters than any other.
Well, that seems to be changing.
Some people are apparently realizing that, despite what others say, the City of Surrey has certainly made strides in more ways than one — especially in the Whalley area.
It’s obvious to people who have lived and worked in the area for years, but for others, it’s now becoming apparent that Whalley is almost unrecognizable from what it was just a few years ago.
This week, a Reddit user kickstarted the praise with a thread labelled “Whalley Appreciation Post.”
“Honestly driving around Whalley, and man things are getting better,” one user said.
“Seeing more people wait for the bus, people walking about, all the cranes in the air. The future is ours,” they added.
Since sharing their thoughts, dozens of people have commented, and most have validated the users’ perception and complemented the exciting changes in the city.
“Surrey Central has improved so so much since the grimey 90s. Actually a nice and clean place to live,” one person said.
Using crowdsourced data from Numbeo, we found that renting a one-bedroom in the City Centre area will cost about $2,300. The same kind of rental goes for $2,800 in Vancouver’s downtown area.
In Whalley, you will still find City Hall, a Simon Fraser University campus, the stunning City Centre Library, SkyTrain stations, and major parks like Holland Park (which hosts tons of fun festivals and events). Even these spaces, like the library and campuses, have undergone tremendous redevelopments.
Folks especially praised the area near King George SkyTrain station, where people can now find the King George Hub, which features new high-rises, grocery stores, spa treatments, and incredible new restaurants.
Some of our favourite places to eat in the area are Ruex Cafe and Bar (which brings Australian brunch to the city), Combine Cafe & Bar (a new farm-to-table experience), and Minh Sandwiches (serving some of the best Bánh mì).
The shiny new changes mentioned in the Reddit thread even convinced one person to consider moving to the area.
“Awesome 😎 I should look for a rental out there 🌟” they said.
Improvements even include the experience of adventuring around on your bike.
“We love living there! Rode my bike down to Four Winds in Delta. Lots of cyclists out today. Had bike lanes 90% of the way and a good portion were protected,” one person said.
The City even launched a new public bike share system, Bird Canada, spanning much of Surrey City Centre and the Guildford neighbourhood.
Surrey bike share with e-bikes. (Bird Canada)
While there are many positive responses on Reddit praising Whalley’s development, some remain critical of the area.
People continue to be wary of their safety, especially near the SkyTrain stations in the Whalley area. Others added that amid all the changes, they are now even more frustrated with increased traffic in the area and prefer what it looked like before.
However, despite this, even people who don’t love the area admit, “It’s so different within the last couple of decades.”
Do you think this area in Surrey has been improving? Let us know your pros and cons in the comments below.
If you are considering moving to Surrey, email us at [email protected] to share your experience.