Richard Bulpitt Park was officially opened by Township of Langley Council and members of the Bulpitt family at 20965 – 77A Ave. on July 8.
A teacher, principal, and administrator with the Langley School District for 35 years, Bulpitt made a lasting impression on Langley’s education system and in the community as a whole.
“He didn’t just teach students arithmetic and how to read and write,” said Mayor Jack Froese.
“He taught them the value and the importance of having an education.”
Born in England in 1943, Bulpitt was a sports enthusiast who was active in soccer, basketball, and track, and went on to coach locally.
Bulpitt was a principal at Langley Fine Arts School, Belmont, Fort Langley, and Noel Booth Elementary schools before serving as Langley’s Superintendent of Schools from 1996 to 2001.
The father of five children and grandfather of 17, along with his wife Valerie served as missionaries, based in Hong Kong, where they supervised welfare projects throughout Asia.
It was during a trip to Hanoi, Vietnam in 2007, that Bulpitt suffered a fatal heart attack.
Richard Bulpitt Park includes two sand turf soccer fields, a baseball backstop, a trail for cyclists and pedestrians, and a children’s play area. It shares a parking lot and washroom with the adjacent Richard Bulpitt Elementary School, which opened in September, 2013.
“I know people of all ages will get a lot of enjoyment out of Richard Bulpitt Park for years to come, and that Richard’s name and memory will live on for generations,” Mayor Froese said.