Friday February 20, 2026 | LANGFORD, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
City of Langford Council at their February 17 meeting adopted the Parks & Trails Master Plan.
The City describes it as a long‑term, community‑informed vision for how parks and trails will be planned for and delivered as the city grows toward 100,000 residents.
The Plan establishes nine objectives, supported by strategies and actions, to guide long‑term planning and investment in Langford’s parks and trails system.
Public engagement involved an ideas fair in March 2025, a survey in March and April 2025, further public engagement was available at an ideas fair in October 2025, toward a draft master plan by December 2025. A final round of feedback on the plan was available through an online survey to January 4, 2026.
At the February 19 City of Langford Committee of the Whole meeting council received more information about their proposed Budget 2026 (and five year financial plan), during discussion of which included mention by the Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities that there is funding left over from last year’s budget.
Residents value green space:
The Plan responds to the city’s continued growth and reflects the value residents place on access to green space, parks, and connected trails that support health and quality of life.
In 2023, the City completed a Parks, Trails, and Recreation Needs Assessment, which identified the need for more parkland, better trail connections, and improved access to outdoor spaces.
The City says that the assessment also highlighted gaps in park access in some neighbourhoods, reinforcing the need for a more equitable distribution of parkland across the city.
“This Plan is about making sure Langford’s parks are accessible and conveniently available for everyone,” said Scott Goodmanson, Mayor of Langford.
“It prioritizes both destination and neighbourhood parks and puts community value at the heart of our decisions, so as the city grows, residents continue to have high‑quality parks and trails they can enjoy and be proud of,” said Goodmanson in a news release this week.
Destination parks:
The City says that the finalized parks plan places a strong emphasis on investing in destination parks that serve the broader community, including Veterans Memorial Park, Centennial Park, Woodlands Park, and Jordie Lunn Bike Park.
Those parks are relatively structured in terms of activities and function.
Neighbourhood parks:
At the neighbourhood level, the Plan also prioritizes ensuring that every neighbourhood has access to a nearby neighbourhood park, supporting more equitable access to green space while protecting the natural areas that contribute to Langford’s quality of life.
Some members of council noted in their livestreamed meetings this week that many Langford residents just want open green space.
As part of a more strategic approach to managing parkland, the City says that their parks plan recommends the disposal of underutilized parkland that does not align with the needs and priorities identified in the Master Plan or effectively serve the broader community. That would include the Finlayson Arm property which was purchased by the City in 2019 — a steep-terrain location far from the Langford populated area that is difficult to reach or navigate without a vehicle. It was mostly only used for the occasional retreat or small event.
Proceeds from the sale of such lands will be reinvested into parks and trails that better serve the community and improve access for all residents.
Parkland in new developments:
The Plan also introduces, for the first time, a clear evaluation framework to assess the value of parkland dedication from new developments.
Previously, staff did not have a consistent tool to determine whether land provided through development was usable, well‑located or aligned with community needs.
As a result, the City aims to move away from accepting land such as engineered filled slopes, stormwater detention ponds, and other areas that do not function as usable parkland. The new framework strengthens decision‑making and helps ensure residents receive parkland that is functional, accessible, and valuable.
Four-phase process:
The Parks and Trails Master Plan was developed through a four‑phase process beginning in fall 2024, combining technical analysis with three rounds of public engagement to confirm community priorities and refine the draft plan before Council adoption.
Community requirements for indoor and outdoor recreation and sports facilities throughout the West Shore are being addressed through a separate planning process, a Facilities Master Plan, led by West Shore Parks and Recreation Society.
Implementation of the Parks and Trails Master Plan will guide staff in planning and prioritization decisions, and in conversations with the development community. The Plan will also be used to inform and support future budget and Council decisions, as resources allow.
Residents are encouraged to review the full Parks & Trails Master Plan (194-page PDF), downloadable at LetsChatLangford.ca/Parks.
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NEWS SECTIONS: LANGFORD | PARKS & TRAILS