Be Careful When You Grandstand

The good people of the Township love their parks and trails. If one visits the Township website the list of parks and facilities are VERY impressive. We've heard that over the years some Township staff dedicated their lives to help gather these lands and see the amenities built out for the community. Planner Terry Lister developed the Arbour Ribbon strategy to create a buffer between the rural and the urban lands. Mayor Kurt Alberts put legs to the Arbour Ribbon and David Leavers, his staff and many volunteers at Parks & Rec really go the extra mile for Township taxpayers in building and operating QUALITY park, trails, and recreation facilities.

While most of council understand the Arbour Ribbon concept and the exceptional Sports Tourism model that the Township has worked, one member of council fails to respect the good people of the Township of Langley. This council member fails to see the huge numbers of sports enthusiasts that frequent our hotels and restaurants on weekends in Walnut Grove, Murrayville, and beyond.

This particular councillor lives in South Langley and we believe that this person doesn't get around the whole community much to see what is going on. Public comments made by this councillor concerning reducing the speed limit on 200th Street, in addition to blog posts speaking of "the grandstand" ( a reference to McLeod Athletic Park) and "the white elephant" (the new Langley Events Centre) abound. These statements show ignorance and is evidence of a failure to practice "management by walking around". After all, you can't see many of these things from your acreage in rural. Now there is certainly nothing wrong with living in rural Langley nor having acreage that you enjoy. But there is something wrong when an elected official fails to see the rest of our community of communities, dramatically failing to comprehend what benefits the Township residents and visitors derive in their lives from from these various public facilities.

Did you know that McLeod Athletic Park has facilities for:

• ball hockey
• baseball diamond
• resident caretaker
• change rooms
• drinking water
• horseshoe pitch
• jogging track
• lighted fields
• picnic facilities and shelter
• playground
• restrooms
• playing fields
• tennis courts
• treed nature walk

How many Township residents do you suppose use these facilities? How many sports enthusiasts from outside our community rely on these services and spend their money in Langley before and after their events? I don't know about you, but every time I pass McLeod the parking lot is full of cars and people are out and about.

What will the new Langley Events Centre offer the citizens and visitors of Langley Township? Well, to name a few:

• Willoughby Recreation Centre (with fitness and multipurpose rooms)
  
• Triple Gymnasium (with 2,000s seats)
• Arena Bowl (seating from 3,000-5,000)
• Indoor walking concourse
• Exhibition & Banquet Centre (seating up to 500 people)
• New home of the Langley Gymnastics Foundation
• Leased commercial retail & office space
• Community Park (playing fields, water park & picnic areas)

Why do you suppose all these groups have partnered on this project?

Our parks, trails, community centres and public amenities exist because they are an integral part of the Township of Langley. Many people live and visit the Township for these amenities. When you promote your personal political agenda by calling these community assets a "grandstand" or "white elephant", you show great contempt and disrespect for the good citizens of this Township. You slap the staff and partners of these venues in the face through your ridicule and mockery. Do you enjoy the Township's parks, trails and rec centres? If so, take our new poll!