It’s time to ditch the car and invest in a solid pair of walking shoes.
Welcome to Glenmore and Highland Park where everything you need is within walking distance. Hear why residents and retailers (not to mention our sales team) are raving about this one-stop shop community.
A short distance from Glenmore and Highland Park, the paved suburban street turns into a winding country road. At the end of the way, you’ll be greeted by a basket of fresh, free-range eggs. Reminiscent of the good ’ol days, these eggs are there for the taking through an honour system – select what you need, and leave a nominal sum in exchange. It’s wonderful to witness such a gesture of good faith.
Nestled off to the side of 184th, sits Hazelmere Organic Farm. In addition to providing organic grocery stores, organic wholesalers and Vancouver’s fine-dining restaurants with certified organic produce through Hazelmere Organics, the farm has been part of South Surrey’s local produce scene for the past 16 years. Over the years, the farm has provided locals with weekly produce orders ready to be picked up at the farm, or delivered straight to the front door.
But the farm’s respect for the environment and the surrounding community goes beyond its culinary herbs and vegetable varieties. The intentional cultivation of milk thistles and killdeer nests offer protection and habitat for songbirds and finches, ensuring that all nearby can enjoy the birds’ charming twitters.
Mary’s Garden is another well-known, family-run produce business that calls South Surrey home. And while harvest season may be at a close, you will find an assortment of jams, dressings and marinades for your cooking needs.
Of course, Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without pumpkin pie, and a visit to the pumpkin patch! Bring the family to Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch at Gabriel Farms for U-pick pumpkins and gourds. And don’t forget the camera. A visit to Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch includes hayrides, a petting zoo and face painting, not to mention grinning faces.
When it comes to giving thanks, the residents in and around Glenmore and Highland Park don’t need a public holiday to remind them to show their appreciation. This growing community in South Surrey has always been eager to spread the wealth and celebrate good fortune. We hope you’ll also soon be sharing in the bounty of this dynamic neighbourhood.
Thinking about booking a tee time? We’ve got the rundown to South Surrey’s hotspots if you’re a golfer. From challenging courses to beginner par threes and weekend warriors to full-fledged golf junkies there’s a fairway for everyone.
An easy 12-minute drive from Highland Park and Glenview, Morgan Creek Golf Club is home to an 18-hole, par-72 course as well as a Golf Teaching Academy and Equipment Fitting Centre. With stunning views of Mount Baker and the Golden Ears Mountain Range, it’s the ideal destination to catch the sun’s rays and indulge in some our province’s super natural beauty. Finish off the game with a refreshing beverage or stay for a full three-course dinner from Morgan’s Restaurant and Wine Bar, which overlooks the 6,967-yard course. Both the course and the restaurant are open to the public year-round.
Hazelmere Golf Course was originally built in 1962, but underwent an extensive renovation in 2003. The renovated Hazelmere includes a natural grass practice facility with five target greens and a practice fairway bunker. Located between the US border and Langley and a mere 10-minute drive from the Morgan Heights area, you’ll find both professional and amateur golfers teeing off at this 18-hole course or relaxing in the one of the Clubhouse’s Panorama, Garden or Fireside Rooms. And Hazelmere offers more than just golf. Boasting four indoor tennis courts, Hazelmere Tennis club is reputed to be one of the finest tennis facilities in the Fraser Valley. Drop the kids for tennis lessons, while you hit the green!
A golf course steeped in history. Peace Portal Golf Course was the pet project of Seattle lawyer Sam Hill. Most famously known for constructing the International Peace Arch, Hill hoped that Peace Portal would become an internationally renowned course. Now in its 82nd year, the 18-hole course receives regular visitors from the lower mainland and the neighbouring US. Border lineup looking a little too long? Grab a coffee at the Clubhouse and practice your chipping at the chipping green.
Meridian Golf Par 3
There’s no website for Meridian Par 3, but trust us when we say this is one of the prettiest golf courses in South Surrey. The land for this 18-hole course used to be occupied by a hazelnut farm (an old nut house still stands near the 18th tee). Now, a sea of tall cedars and weeping willows add to the picturesque beauty of the family-run Meridian Golf Par 3. Of course, these majestic trees do make some of the holes a little trickier to see! The course and clubhouse are open year-round, weather permitting.
So go on, grab your golf bag and get ready to drive the range.
Football season is well underway and Canucks pre-season officially started this week. That means, beyond pulling out those foam fingers and laying out that jersey, you need a place to watch the game.
We know just the spot.
With a 150-inch HD projection screen and numerous 52-inch plasma screens positioned throughout the space, Grandview Corners’ ULounge is the ultimate game destination. Sit at the wrap around bar or get cozy in one of the lounge’s booths – whatever your angle, you’ll be in the perfect position to see the game.
And with amazing deals like $5.50 wings and $2.99 Molson Canadian drafts on Wing Wednesdays, and $9.99 Burger and Beer Tuesdays, among others, you can take comfort in the fact that your night out won’t break the bank.
Make sure to take advantage of the pub’s private party rooms for hockey/football pool groups as well. Both the Candle Lounge and the Living Room, each with their own flat screen TV, are available seven days a week and can be reserved for a variety of private functions, including game night with the boys, stagettes, or corporate parties.
Like Glenmore and Highland Park, ULounge combines that neighbourhood feel with a bit of urban flare. Cool aqua accents add a punch of colour to the luxe black and white finishes. But don’t let the sleek interior and funky name fool you. At the heart of it all, ULounge is your friendly, local pub. The management and staff will make you feel right at home.
Beyond being the space to back your favourite team, ULounge is the perfect locale to meet up with friends, chat over a casual drink, munch on great food (at reasonable prices!) and enjoy a spectacular space. And its mere paces from Glenmore and Highland Park, so you can make it home safely while abiding by the recently adjusted impaired driving law.
ULounge’s full kitchen is open daily at 11 a.m. for lunch and dinner.
We are always keen to learn about, and engage in, projects that enhance the community, so when we came across Fresh! Fraser Valley, a showcase of Fraser Valley’s unique independent local shops, services and artisans, we were thrilled to be able to spread the word and share some details. Courtesy of Kristi Ferguson, founder of Double You, a virtual assistant, personal shopping and event planning company based in Langley, please read on.
On September 25, 2010 everyone from Hope to Surrey will have the opportunity to gain a Fresh! perspective on life and business in the Fraser Valley. Fresh! celebrates the finest entrepreneurs and local businesses in the Fraser Valley and offers the public an unparalleled opportunity to uncover local gems. And this year, it’s taking place at the Ramada Plaza & Conference centre in Abbotsford.
For entrepreneurs and business owners, Fresh! provides a distinct, convenient channel to network with other professionals and connect with area residents, thus improving a sense of community and support for Fraser Valley ventures.
It’s an opportunity to learn new ways of doing business, and connect with the surrounding community at large. Regardless of their areas of expertise, professionals of all disciplines will look forward to the dynamic learning sessions led by a variety of forward-thinking Fraser Valley entrepreneurial leaders, including Doug Edgar of Compass Strategies, Rick Rake of Click Media Works and Darcie Brown of Revival Arts Studio. The 20-minute workshops aim to share knowledge, stir up ideas and change perspectives.
Anyone interested in attending the workshops and showcase can visit www.freshfraservalley.com to register. Tickets for the showcase are by donation to the Fraser Valley branch of the Canadian Cancer Society, but RSVPs are appreciated for planning purposes. Registration for all 13 workshops is only $50. All online registrants will be automatically entered to win a 2-night stay at the fabulous South Garden Bed and Breakfast in Harrison Hot Springs.
For more information, contact info@freshfraservalley.com.
The kids are back at school, and that means you might just have a few extra hours in the day to take some time for yourself. In the hopes that you do, here’s a quick rundown of the salons, beauty spas and places to rejuvenate in the area.
A New Impression Day Spa
If you’re looking to pamper and recharge your body as well as your spirit, you’ll want to head down to A New Impression Day Spa. Along with traditional spa services such as manicures, pedicures, body wraps and massage, A New Impression offers kundalini yoga classes as well.
Aru Spa and Salon
Nominated as the top place to go for a massage in Surrey by Surrey Now readers, Aru’s extensive list of massages comprises everything from hot stone massages to postnatal massages. Therapists are trained in sports, prenatal, postnatal, pregnancy, craniosacral and Reiki massage. Follow up your spa day with a cut and style at the salon.
Casbah Day Spa looks to be a place for both men and women to gather and feel pampered. The spa offers a complete range of services, including makeup and hair removal treatments, eyelash extensions and an infrared sauna. In addition to these conventional services, Casbah provides various “Medi Services” such as ultrasonic acne treatments, vascular treatments and fractional laser skin resurfacing.
Salon Montage
Now in its fourteenth year serving the White Rock community, Salon Montage is an Aveda concept salon and spa. Every Montage stylist is a graduate of the Aveda Advanced Academy. And you can feel guilt free about lathering your body in sumptuous oils and lotions when you visit the spa. All Aveda hair, skin, body and makeup products are made of 97 per cent naturally derived plant and flower ingredients.
Santé Per Aqua Medical Spa
Although Sante Per Aqua does offer facials, massages, body wraps and other traditional body treatments under their spa section, they actually specialize in medical services. Micropigmentation or permanent makeup, small redness vein therapy and a hair loss treatment clinic are just a few of the services available at Santé Per Aqua.
There’s no shortage of salons and spas in the White Rock and South Surrey area. So whether you have half an hour for a quick polish application or half a day to indulge in a complete spa package, why not treat yourself to a visit.
According to a recent Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Canada.com, 82 per cent of British Columbians (that’s eight out of 10!) self-proclaim that B.C. is the most dog-friendly province.
With its numerous off-leash parks, expansive dog-friendly beaches and fur-loving spas, we can’t help but think that maybe the majority of that 82 per cent are living here in South Surrey. Check it out:
Pack up the pooch in the car – there is plenty of parking – or walk down to 20th Avenue from the Glenmore and Highland Park area to reach Dogwood Park. An abundance of trails await for your tail-wagging friend to explore. A bulletin board of dog information and related services and an off-leash corral area are easily accessible, as well.
Crescent Beach is home to the Surrey Sailing Club and the Crescent Beach Swim Club, but it’s also where you’ll find Blackie Spit, an expansive park with a fully fenced, off-leash dog area and dog swimming beach. Plus, there’s a park shelter, picnic area and a variety of trails and walking paths for all of the two-legged members in your family.
Site of the Semiahmoo Salmon Festival and the Spirit of the Sea festival, White Rock’s Semiahmoo Park offers a relaxed dog-friendly sandy stretch. Play a game of fetch with your four-legged friend from the early morning right into the evening – Semiahmoo Park is open dawn til dusk.
The ultimate canine social club. Headed up by the SPCA, Morgan Crossing’s Paw Pacers Club welcomes all breeds and mixes of dog. They strongly believe that socializing dogs is an essential component to building a safe and happy human-canine bond. And it gives you the chance to get to know your surrounding neighbours, too. In addition to the weekly jaunts, there are monthly activities that include guest speakers whom speak to a variety of dog-related topics, from clicker training to animal cruelty. The Club meets weekly on Sunday mornings between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. at the Shops at Morgan Crossing. There is a $10 monthly fee to join.
Your dog might have free reign of the beaches and trails around South Surrey, but after a day running through the sand and dirt, we’d hazard a guess that you’re not so lenient when it comes to indoor house privileges. A trip to the grooming salon might just be the thing you both need. And every now and then man’s best friend deserves more than a regular ol’ brushing. The Paw Spa, which conveniently operates out of the South Surrey Veterinary Hospital, offers all sorts of pampering and salon services for dogs, including a Hydrating Body Cleanse and Nail Paw-lish application.
From big to small, short-haired to long, South Surrey is a regular destination for dog lovers and it’s a convenient location for dog owners. You’ll like it here.
You want more from where you live. A stylishly inspired community is important to you, but you also want to ensure that the necessary amenities for raising a young family are in place. And with a new school year just around the corner, having good schools nearby must be top of mind when you’re looking for your new home.
Fortunately, White Rock/South Surrey is part of the largest public school district in B.C., School District 36, which has 99 public elementary schools and 21 public high schools, not to mention the numerous private and Montessori schools in the region.
17148 26 Avenue
Surrey, B.C.
V3S 0A4
Located on 26 Avenue, just a five-minute drive from Glenmore and Highland Park, Pacific Heights will most likely be the elementary school for students living in the neighbourhood. Home of the Phoenix, Pacific Heights Elementary is Kindergarten to Grade 7.
2064 154 Street
Surrey BC
V4A 4S3
A short drive over the King George Highway is Jessie Lee. Another K-7 school in the area, the school’s motto is “Reach for the Sky.” Jessie Lee’s enrollment as of September 2009 was 251.
Ecole Crescent Park School has been serving the Crescent beach community for 60 years, and the Annex for 90 years. They are the only elementary school in the area to offer a late French immersion program with students entering the program in Grade 6.
15250 28 Avenue
Surrey, BC
V4P 1B9
Sunnyside is one of the few K-7 schools to have a Montessori-based program and neighbourhood-based program in a public school system, which has attracted a diverse group of students.
A new school is slated to open in September 2012.
15751 16 Avenue
Surrey, BC
V4A 1S1
Early Marriott Secondary is situated on the border of South Surrey and White Rock. It is the largest French immersion secondary school in western Canada, teaching students from Grade 8 through to Grade 12. Currently, the student population sits at about 1,700. Due to its vicinity, it will likely be school of choice for high-school students in the Glenmore and Highland Park area.
1785 148 Street
Surrey, BC
V4A 4M6
Located right on 148th Street, Semiahmoo Secondary takes students from Grade 8 to Grade 12. For its Grade 11 and Grade 12 students, Semiahmoo offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme. The two-year IB program provides an accelerated program of studies. Students have the opportunity to earn university course credits leading to preferred admission to university programs.
13484 24 Avenue
Surrrey, BC
V4A 2G5
Elgin Park Secondary is the third and final public secondary school in the White Rock/South Surrey area. Along with Earl Marriott and Semiahmoo, Elgin Park offers the Hockey Canada Skills Academy. The Academy provides high-school students with a passion and interest in the great Canadian game, with the opportunity to develop their skills and hockey knowledge.
2656 160th Street
Surrey, B.C.
V3S 0B7
Looking for a private school? Situated within the burgeoning neighbourhood surrounding Glenmore and Highland Park, Southridge offers a university-directed program from kindergarten to Grade 12. The co-ed campus has a full sports program with first-class facilities and playing fields, and has a strong fine arts focus.
3388 Rosemary Heights Crescent
Surrey, B.C.
V3S 0K7
Morgan Creek offers Montessori education for preschool and kindergarten-aged children in both the Morgan Creek and Rosemary Heights areas of South Surrey. At the time of posting, the school still had space in their afternoon programs for three year olds.
5438 152 Street
Surrey, BC
V3S 5J9
Roots & Wings is about a 15-minute drive from Glenmore and Highland Park, but it is one of the few Montessori schools to offer babycare, daycare and primary Montessori (two-and-a-half to five year olds) as well as intermediate and senior Montessori (six to 12 year olds) right the way through to secondary Montessori (12 to 15 year olds).
South Surrey’s burgeoning Morgan Heights neighbourhood is a great place to grow, and grow up. Indoor and outdoor activities in the form of clubs, camps and kids venues for your little (and not so little) ones abound, minutes from your doorstep. So, if you’re looking to move with a young one in tow or are planning to start a family soon, we recommend starting here.
Historic Stewart Farmhouse
Just a 12-minute drive from Morgan Heights sits the historic Stewart Farmhouse. First built in 1894, by pioneer John Stewart, the Stewart farmhouse is a now a place for visitors and residents alike to enjoy heritage activities, crafts and home baking. Costumed tour guides will take you through the house, and teach you about life in Surrey in the Victorian period. What’s more, in the summer months, the Stewart Farmhouse offers various children’s daycamps – and that’s great news for you and the kids. They can spend a day at the farm doing things the old-fashioned way, while you can enjoy a quiet lunch with friends.
Serpentine Fen
An interesting and inexpensive way to enjoy the outdoors with your kids. Located 10 minutes from Morgan Heights by car, Serpentine Fen, also called the Serpentine Wildlife Area, is a 150-acre habitat with more than 130 different bird species. There are a number of designated public trails and three covered viewing towers to help spot eagles, hawks, blue herons and more. September and October are the best months for birding, as many birds take shelter in the Fen, but you may also come across frogs, coyotes and even harbour seals. Don’t forget the binoculars!
The South Surrey Indoor Pool
This is a great venue for learning and playing. Register your little ones in swim lessons or just head to the pool for a day of fun. The indoor pool has six 25-metre lanes and two diving boards as well as a children’s pool and whirlpool. And the Pool hosts youth activities on Friday and Saturday nights. Pre-teen pool parties complete with a DJ and games, and Swim Play, which includes swimming followed by a movie and popcorn are popular Saturday night events. Conveniently, located 10 minutes from Morgan Heights.
Softball City
One of the coolest locations for any kid who loves sports has to be Softball City. It is the premiere sports and entertainment complex with four championship calibre diamonds, and it’s one more venue that is located only 10 minutes away from Morgan Heights. It’s an ideal location for fundraisers and birthday parties, or just watching a league or tournament game.
Add the fact that White Rock/South Surrey is part of the largest public school district in B.C., School District 36 (which has 99 public elementary schools and 21 public high schools), and we think you’ll find that Morgan Heights is quite an exciting place to live.
You want to raise your children in a nurturing and stimulating environment, and at Glenmore & Highland Park in Morgan Heights that want can become reality. If you’re looking to make the move and own your own home in a trendy suburban community that combines urban flare with a family-friendly mentality, you’ll love Morgan Heights.
Could you live in 600 square feet? Is location more important than size? Should your home be a place to live out of, rather than in?
A recent article on msnbc.com touched on all of these points, stating that when it comes to condo living, smaller spaces are set to attract Baby Boomers and Generation Y.
That got us thinking.
A smaller space is meant to be the trade off for living an urban lifestyle, but it definitely doesn’t have to be. At Glenmore and Morgan Heights we’re proud of our homes – they’re spaces that you can grow with, in an area that’s young, fresh vibrant and urban. And as condos in the downtown core get smaller and smaller, we think it’s nice to know there are still full-sized homes available at affordable rates elsewhere.
What do you think? We’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Could you live in 600 square feet or less?
