Skip to content

Hillside walking path to be named for late White Rock councillor

Upgraded feature will be known as Helen Fathers Centre Street Walkway
28338884_web1_210930-PAN-Centre-Street-Walkway_1
The Centre Street Hillside Walkway, currently being upgraded by the City of White Rock, will henceforth be known as the Helen Fathers Centre Street Walkway, following an announcement made at the late councillor’s memorial service on March 2. (File photo)

The Centre Street Hillside Walkway, currently being upgraded by White Rock staff, has been re-named the Helen Fathers Centre Street Walkway, in honour of the late city councillor.

A motion from Coun. David Chesney was discussed and unanimously endorsed by council at the Feb. 28 meeting, but the renaming was formally announced by Mayor Darryl Walker at the celebration of life service for Fathers at Victory Memorial Park Funeral Centre on March 2.

The popular councillor passed away Feb. 7 after a lengthy battle with pancreatitis.

The pedestrian walkway, which links Marine Drive with Victoria and Columbia Avenues, was revived by the city last year, following a never-implemented 2014 conceptual plan.

READ ALSO: White Rock councillor Helen Fathers remembered as ‘true pillar of the community’

READ ALSO: White Rock revives Centre Street walkway

Chesney said at the Feb. 28 meeting that the idea had come forward as council searched for a way to honour Fathers’ memory in the community.

“I go back to – long before I was on this council – 2012, when Coun. Fathers took the initiative and started the process for the beautification of the Centre Street Walkway,” he said.

“As we are coming close to completion this year, and it has been one of this council’s priorities, I would like to put forward a motion that upon completion of the Centre Street Walkway that we dedicate it to the memory, and the hard work and love and cherishing that Coun. Fathers devoted to our community.”

Chesney said council had also considered some way of memorializing Fathers through the White Rock Farmers’ Market, for which she had served as operations manager.

“Helen was synonymous with the Farmers’ Market,” he said. “The problem is that’s not our land – (although) we will reach out to the Farmers’ Market to see if they were considering something to do with the market honouring Helen.”

In response to a question from CAO Guillermo Ferrero, Walker said that, as soon as the announcement was made, “I think we can start referring to it as that.”



alex.browne@peacearchnews.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter