Press Release from Township of Langley

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Monday, January 28, 2013

GLEN VALLEY LAND SALE: STATEMENT FROM MAYOR JACK FROESE

I am pleased to announce that Council made a decision during tonight’s in-camera meeting regarding the sale of the east Glen Valley properties commonly known as Gray Pit. After much deliberation, Council decided that the Township will keep all of the parcels to the west along 257A Street – totaling 25 acres, more than half of the total property – while authorizing the sale of the four lots to the east along 260 Street. This decision comes after hearing much input from the community, from people passionate about preserving these lands. Council agreed that this forested land is an important and valuable environmental area and is significant to our community. The area being retained is the treed portion of the former gravel pit site and remediation work will be done to the property where necessary and Council may consider designating as parkland in the future. Of the four eastern lots to be sold, the sale of the two lots to the north will proceed immediately. Improvements to and remediation of the two lots of the south will be made before those can be sold. In the meantime, Council has also authorized the use of borrowing from other Township surplus and reserves, including short term borrowing of less than five years, to fund the Aldergrove Community Centre until the land sales occur. Staff has been directed to allocate $1.5 million per year from the Township’s annual surplus to the Land Reserve Fund for five years. This follows Council’s decision in July not to sell 21 acres along 84 Avenue, between 252 and 254 Street, commonly known as McLellan Forest. Now, in total, nearly 50 acres of Glen Valley land will be retained, and approximately 20 will be marketed. This was an issue that truly mobilized the community and Council was grateful for your contributions and input. With this decision, we feel we have struck a balance between retaining environmentally significant land that residents have shown is a much valued resource and the need to raise funds for a new recreation centre for the community.