Steve LaRocca may be the best literal embodiment of the phrase "another man's trash is another man's treasure."
A Richmond resident, LaRocca began beach combing in early 2018 after he found, by chance, a carved white horse figurine near No. 5 and Dyke roads. Since then he has dutifully documented his findings on social media under the handle FraserRiverFinds. LaRocca has found items dating back to the 1960s, although some are a few decades older. LaRocca has taken to arranging the smaller, more colourful items into spectacular artistic arrangements.
Some of the most interesting things LaRocca has found along the beaches of Richmond include vintage toys, an old bottle of Chanel No. 5 perfume and a complete Naloxone kit.
Through his cleanup and artistic endeavours, LaRocca hopes to draw attention to the state of two beaches known as “8 Ball” and “the Jungle” which lie to the east of Triangle Beach between No. 6 and No. 8 roads. Apparently this area was the site of a dump through the mid-century, explaining how there are some many items yet to be found there.
With files from Kirsten Clarke
