Tuesday January 14, 2025 | LANGFORD, BC [Posted 2:48 pm | Updated 8:12 pm]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
City of Langford council has purchased a six-acre property in the centre of downtown Langford (first three readings approved at theier January 13, 2025 council meeting).
It’s not for housing development, but rather it’s going to be reformed as a natural park in perpetuity.
The urban core of Langford has been rapidly developed with residential and commercial infrastructure as well as roads. While there has been some urban-style landscaping along streets and on boulevards, essentially the concretized core of Langford has become a heat sink in hot weather.
During the heat dome in June 2021 that was particularly evident.
But even on a day to day level the refreshment afforded by greenery and natural spaces is important for the physical and mental well-being of residents as well as contributing to some degree of balance of natural ecosystems.
One can think of Mount Doug Park in Saanich or Beacon Hill Park in Victoria or even Central Park in New Your City as flagship natural spaces within cities.
The meeting may have been contentious. There has been some critique and criticism about the land purchase.
But it should be noted that the owners of the property at 848 Hockley Ave who have operated the property as a manufactured home park have wished for this outcome for their land. As they retire, they are even taking a reduced price on the property in order that it be retained as a natural space.
The location will be walkable for downtown area residents and people who will be attending the upcoming new Royal Roads University campus at Goldstream Avenue and Peatt Road.
At last night’s council meeting Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson said the purchase price is about $10 million less than it otherwise would be on the open market.
All land decisions by the City are conducted in-camera (non-public meetings of council). But talk did get out. Apparently most of the homeowners on the Hockley property were not surprised to hear about the City’s purchase of the land.
Current residents on that property will have five years to make plans to find a new home or place of residence. The timing is generous, as well as the purchase price offer from the City, i.e. assessed price plus 10%.
Poignant council moment:
Mayor and Council have taken great pride in this decision, which as one of them notes will see the new park emerge in its full natural function after this term of office (the next municipal election is in October 2026).
After public input, the council decision seemed to be taken with a level of reverence and sense of accomplishment.
It was highlighted that the well-being of residents was set as a a top priority, it was said at council.
- Mayor Goodmanson said that the owners could have received a lot more for the property but they wanted to see it remain forested and natural in perpetuity.
- Long-time Councillor Lillian Szpak said that in all of her years on Langford council (since 2002) that this is “the most exciting announcement we’ve ever had”.
- Councillor Mary Wagner pointed out that the value of natural space within an urban core is important for health consideration of urban residents.
- Councillor Colby Harder said the value of the park will “be evident to everybody as soon as they step through” the entry. She noted that other greenspace in Langford has not always been accessible or ambulant — such as Finlayson Arm property being far from the urban area.
- Councillor Kimberley Guiry values the “peace and tranquility under an overstory of trees”.
Public input:
Public participation about the Woodlands Park purchase during the January 13 council meeting included concerns about the buyout of property owners (pros and cons of cost and timeline).
People participated both in person in council chambers and remotely via Zoom or dial-in.
- One resident challenged council as to whether a park is more important than a living space for 45 mobile homeowners.
- It’s normal municipal process to discuss land purchases in-camera, but one resident asked if there were “any other surprises” as to land deals.
- A few residents felt the timeline was short for the public to prepare input (the announcement about the purchase was made on January 9 and council’s final approval was on January 13).
- One resident asked that accessibility considerations including washrooms be included in the park plan.
- One resident lauded council, saying that adding city amenities like a park is “a big change during a challenge time”.
- One resident said she through it was “quite rare to see that residents are being taken care of”.
- One resident expressed his hope for transparency around final costs of the buyout and park development.
Five-year rollout:
The park will begin its new path forward as a natural space starting in 2030.
The park will include additional trails and gardens, open green space, decorative fountains, landscaped ponds, picnic areas, and playgrounds.
A consultant has been engaged by the City as a tenant liaison to work with the mobile home residents on the Hockley property to help with purchase and relocation details.
Other parks in Langford:
There are over 2,200 acres of greenspace within the Langford municipal boundary.
That of course includes Goldstream Provincial Park with its iconic salmon runs, and camping.
The city is home to four lakes: Langford Lake, Glen Lake, Florence Lake and Lake Ida Anne. A small portion of Thetis Lake Regional Park also falls within city borders.
- Parks like the Jordie Lunn Bike Park and playground-type parks in Westhills are natural spaces but are predominantly for certain activities.
- The Sarah Beckett Memorial Park in Glen Lake is primarily a rubberized playground.
- Veterans Memorial Park in town centre has a playground and some trees.
- There are small children’s playground spots in the Happy Valley area.
- Langford Lake is a natural spot that is heavily trafficked in summer months.
- Willing Park in the Triangle Mountain area is a large field surrounded by tall trees, where some newer trees were planted on Earth Day in 2023.
- The new Porcher Park in the Claude Road area of downtown has older trees as well as a new playground and community park under development.
===== RELATED:
- Langford buying manufactured home park to add six urban forest acres (January 9, 2025)
- NEWS SECTION: LANGFORD | ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY