Surrey Archives presents Whalley Before Skyscrapers in Virtual Talk

Surrey, BC – Surrey Archives invites the public to get a virtual glimpse of Surrey’s not-so-distant past—to an era where the iconic Flamingo Hotel, Stardust Roller Skating Rink, Round Up Café, Surrey Place Mall, K-Mart and the Rickshaw restaurant were prominent local landmarks in Whalley. 

The free virtual talk ‘Whalley Before Skyscrapers,’ will be delivered by Surrey Archives staff via Microsoft Teams on Thursday, May 13 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Participants will experience the rapid growth of this area over the last few decades, including photos and stories that document the rise of Surrey’s City Centre.  

“Whalley’s landscape has changed dramatically,” said Archivist Chelsea Bailey. “This talk provides a unique opportunity to see the area through archival photos over the years. A major highlight will be archival video footage from 1993.” 

The virtual programs being offered by the Archives are a great way to reflect upon and experience the past, while the Archives’ usual large in-person programs are on pause due to COVID-19, adds Bailey.  

“We’re excited to continue to share the City’s history and have two additional talks lined up this Spring, including ‘In Their Own Words’ on May 27 and ‘The Surrey Leader Collection’ on June 24.  

Registration for Whalley Before Skyscrapers opens April 30. To reserve your spot, call 604-501-5100, sign in to your MySurrey account, or email archives@surrey.ca. 

In addition to their virtual talks, the Surrey Archives has over 60,000 archival photographs available online, as well as free Online Heritage Tools, available at surrey.ca/archives. 

Surrey Archives is located at 17671 56 Ave, Surrey. For more information, call the Surrey Archives at 604-502-6459 or visit surrey.ca/archives. Follow us on Facebook at @HeritageSurreyBC.