Sunday April 28, 2019 ~ LANGFORD
~ by Mary P Brooke, West Shore Voice News
Langford is open for business! Not only has that been the vibrant reality of the City of Langford for decades under the leadership of Mayor Stew Young, but now it’s blasted onto banners. Along with a new theme of ‘building a national sports capital of Canada’.
Just in time for the inaugural Pacific FC soccer game event which is today April 28, a series of promotional city banners went up along Langford Parkway in front of the stadium. And also a series of sports-themed flags for soccer, rugby, and mountain biking — all of which are making a footprint in the Langford and regional economy.
This town is ready for a party today! Celebrating not only the launch of the Canadian Premier League soccer franchise that has seven teams across Canada — with Pacific FC heralding for the island — but the growing number of sports that call Langford home including Rugby Canada and Victoria Shamrocks. And at Bear Mountain there is golf, tennis and this past week even boxing.
This week Mayor Stew Young indicated that the mix of current sports events is just an indication of bigger things to come. This week there was a boxing championship event at Bear Mountain, the Rugby Canada Hall of Fame event (held in Victoria), and now the big blast of Pacific FC’s inaugural game on Sunday.
“The residents are looking forward to a great weekend of sports in Langford,” said Mayor Young. “It will be a super sport weekend for fans up and down the island.”
Premier John Horgan said on Friday that in travelling around BC he sees business leaders, workers, and community leaders looking at “where is their niche in an increasingly competitive economy”.
The Premier said “it’s a challenge to make sure everyone is participating in the economy.” He sees Langford’s sports tourism as a key development, adding that strategic investments and the work of the local city council “help maintain strong economic growth”.
Last weekend there was the installation of themed seating — purple and white chairs spelling out P F C in the Westhills stands. And Friday ground crews were busy setting up for the vendor areas and laying down artificial turf along the Langford Parkway side of the venue.
The gates at Westhills Stadium open at 1 pm today with entertainment and refreshments. The 4 pm kick-off of the Pacific FC game against the HFX Wanderers symbolizes a coast-to-coast national launch of Langford’s economic goal to become the ‘national sports capital’ of Canada.