Thursday September 4, 2025 | LANGFORD, BC [Posted at 4 pm | Updated 11:30 pm]
Municipal news analysis | by Island Social Trends
City of Langford Council has voted unanimously to rename a small neighbourhood park after previous long-time city councillor Winnie Sifert.
At their September 2 Regular Council Meeting, the decision was made after continued public pressure from the Sifert family.
Ernhill Park was chosen as the most suitable option due to its location within former Council member Sifert’s neighbourhood.
Sifert was on Langford Council for about 27 years, from incorporation in 1992 to 2018.
There was some debate about the way all this transpired, with the current council essentially reacting to a pre-set expectation about the park naming from the previous council. It took a long while for this week’s result to emerge.
“I would sincerely like to thank the community for their ongoing support and for the Langford Council finally resolving this longstanding matter that has affected our family so deeply,” said Sandy Sifert, daughter of former Council member Winnie Sifert.
Long-time service:
Winnie Sifert dedicated over 27-years to public service in Langford, serving as a member of Langford Council.
She was particularly proud of her city beautification efforts, and knowing the community deeply.
As outlined in a City news release today, Sifert’s contributions to the community span more than four decades, including her involvement in various committees, Langford’s incorporation in 1992, and her advocacy for affordable housing and legalizing secondary suites.
Over the years, former long-time Mayor Stew Young could count on her vote at the council table.
Shaping Langford:
“Winnie Sifert’s contributions to Langford have been nothing short of extraordinary,” said Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson.
“Since the City’s incorporation in 1992, and in the decades that followed, her dedication and compassion have significantly shaped Langford into what it is today. Renaming Ernhill Park in her honour is a fitting tribute,” said Goodmanson this week.
About the park:
Ernhill Park at 2649 Ernhill Drive was rejuvenated in 2022 (after flooding damage on Ernhill Drive in November 2021) with updates including new playground equipment, benches, a walking path, a basketball court, and a sport court.
The park’s centre now includes a plaza area with built-in seating. The park revitalization project was funded by development cost charges (DCC’s) received from developers.
The land was dedicated to the Capital Regional District (CRD) as a community park in 1984 and later donated to the City of Langford at incorporation in 1992.
Politics of it all:
A park-naming new policy recommends council consider multiple options when naming a park, including consulting First Nations, public engagement and selecting individuals of significance to the city.
But at the August 26 City of Langford Community Advisory Committee meeting, Councillor Colby Harder had suggested an amendment that parks be named that when choosing individuals of significance, the city should only consider folks who are deceased (i.e. posthumous recognition).
That quite understandably struck a raw nerve for the Sifert family who have waited a long time for the renaming.
It should be noted that the 2022 park improvements would have been approved by the previous council and the eluded promise of a park renaming also something from the previous council.
What the current council (elected in the fall of 2022) may have now realized is that the City is a continuum. While not all previous council decisions are necessarily required to be maintained as the City moves forward, this is a good example of where political sensibilities and human impact on the sacrifice of families of public-serving persons should have been more evident — not to state the obvious that people nowadays live long into their 90’s even past 100.
The Community Advisory Committee also seemed to struggle with sensibilities in their assigning of community grants-in-aid earlier this year. The first-term experience of two city councillors on that committee and minimal governance experience of the community members is showing a bare-bones skill level in terms of seeing the bigger picture and the sociopolitical impact on community groups and their organizers.
This park-naming saga might be seen as a victory for the political forces of the previous council and their voter base that has continued to pepper the 2022-2026 council with a range of complaints and pressures.
Public unveiling:
A formal park dedication event will be held in the coming weeks. The public is welcome to attend and join the celebrations.
“I look forward to the official unveiling, where we will gather to celebrate Winnie and the positive impact she has had on our community,” says Mayor Goodmanson.
Sifert served on Langford council from 1992 to 2018. Her dementia diagnosis (in 2018) may leave her unable to fully engage in celebrations this year.
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