 WELCH
We moved from Burnaby to Ocean Park in 1942. Dave and Alice Welch, our
parents, decided that Ocean Park would be a good place to live and bring
up a family. I was then 5 years old and my brother Ken was two. My brother
Ray was born in 1946.
Although White Rock was more developed at the time, only a small number
of families lived in the Ocean Park area that was basically forest with
trails and narrow gravel roads. I recall the use of kerosene lamps for
light, wells for water, and outhouses in lieu of indoor facilities. A
trail beside our house later became Welch Road, named after my father.
Welch Road (now 127th St.) was initially one block long between Howard
Road (14B Ave.) and Giblin Road (15th Ave.). It was later extended for
one more block from Giblin Road to Horner Road (15A Ave.) and was the
shortest road in the area.
A small grocery store was operated on the corner of what is now 16th Avenue
and 128th Street. The smallest post office in the country (approx. 6'x
14') was operated near the foot of 16th Avenue. It had a few padlocked
mailboxes accessible from the outside. Ours was Box #8.
The Ocean Park beach was a focal point in the summer time with swimming,
campfires, hot-dog roasts, crab boils and good fishing for sea trout in
small punts along the shore. In winter, ice-skating in the open air was
provided at Shannon's pond. I particularly remember the ice-skating at
night with campfires at the edge of the pond. The Ocean Park boys challenged
the Crescent Beach boys to an annual baseball game that was played at
a ball park - now an open field at the northwest corner of the Ocean Park
United Church camp (now Camp Kwomais). Crescent always won the game.
The Ocean Park Hall was a focal point for the residents at the time. Dave
Welch, my father, was president of the Ocean Park Community Association
for many years. Albert Welch, my grandfather, painted the rural scene
mural on the stage curtain that is now mounted on the back wall of the
stage. Various get-togethers, dances, whist drives and the like were held
regularly at the hall. Plays were performed at the hall by an Ocean Park
players group. An Ocean Park boys' club used the hall for sports and athletic
activities - basketball, boxing and tumbling (springboard and mat).
My initial school days were at the Crescent School (Annex) at the corner
of 24th Ave. and Ocean Park Road. An old wood stove provided heat and
a well was used for water. I recall collecting water from local residents
in a wagon when the school well went dry in summer. We had the use of
outhouses located behind the school. Each row of the school was a grade
that, I believe, went up to about Grade 4.
After graduating from Semiahmoo High School, I left the area. In 1966,
I returned with my wife Marjorie and family and have resided in the area
ever since. My brother Ken moved east and lives with his wife Fran in
Burlington, Ontario. Ray and his wife Jane now live in Delta. Our parents
both passed away in 1983.
Things have changed over the past 50 years. On arrival at Ocean Park there
was no TV. I recall a small group of us as youngsters would go to the
Carruth's to watch television about once a week. I think they were the
only people with a TV in the area. Deer, pheasants and grouse
were in abundance. Large runs of salmon came up all the local rivers.
There was little criminal activity and no drug related problems.
The area has changed considerably in terms of life style and ambience.
I suppose that could also be said of life in the area in the early 1900s
as compared to the time we first arrived at Ocean Park. In the early 1900s
there would be no cars and the occupations would be mainly logging and
perhaps fishing. The old corduroy roads for horse and donkey machine logging
and the springboard notches in giant cedar stumps provide evidence of
the logging of first growth trees in abundance at the time. Again, a different
life style.
Change is inevitable and generally brings both advantages and disadvantages,
but one thing remains. The south Surrey area is still a great place to
live and looks even better when you are returning from
many other parts of the world.
- Don and Marj Welch
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