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In 2002, the Whalley Community Festival Committee resurrected the Whalley Community Association (WCA). The plan was to build community through involvement in positive activities and projects.
The goal of the Whalley Community Association is to collaborate with other community groups including the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association, Arts Council of Surrey, service organizations and other community associations to foster a strong livable community.
The WCA works with community partners and local media to promote positive events, people, developments and organizations that define the real spirit of North Surrey.
The Whalley Community Association actively supports projects that embrace community building and enhance the area. For example the 2003/2004 Community Art Project: Convergence that involved over 100 elementary and secondary school students, adults and seniors who came together to create a mosaic currently located by Sunrise Pavilion.
In 2008, the WCA successfully re-launched a farmers’ market in downtown. We met our goal to re-establish the market and hand it over to a group of dedicated people who had the passion to build the Surrey Urban Farmers’ Market even bigger and better. (www.surreymarket.org)
WCA members participate in planning and public consultation events to ensure that civic leaders consider the interests of local residents and businesses. The WCA supports the development of a new library, recreation facilities, performing arts centre, expansion of SFU Surrey campus and building a civic centre for the new location of City Hall within the downtown core. WCA also endorses “taming” King George Highway through downtown so that it becomes a grand boulevard that links the east and west sides of King George and becomes an attractive and walkable city street.
The focus of the WCA remains the annual Whalley Community Festival. The 12th Annual Whalley Community Festival was held on June 19, 2010. There is always something new or different for pre-schoolers, children, youth, adults and seniors at the festival. It is a wonderful example of how year after year the community makes the festival a success as close to 10,000 people visit over 70 exhibits, and enjoy food and live entertainment.