An estimated crowd of more than 350 people turned out for the 61st annual Langley Walk.
This year, it was Langley City’s turn to host the event, which began and ended in Douglas Park on Sunday, May 7.
Aldergrove resident Christopher Lakusta, who was taking part in his 22nd, was wearing a vest with all the commemorative crests from all his previous walks.
He’s only missed one since he began with the 2001 Langley Walk, in Walnut Grove.
“I started doing the Walk in 2001, when I was 12 years old, with my mom,” Lakusta remarked.
“I do it because I get a opportunity to walk a different part of Township of Langley or City of Langley.”
He was glad it is an in-person event again, and pleased to see some new faces.
“It was great to be out, and being around people for the second walk in-person since COVID made the event virtual for 2020 and 2021,” Lakusta commented.
“I notice new faces participating in the walk and I hope they continue to come every year, to keep this wonderful event going.
Dorothy Humberstone from Fort Langley explained has taken part in almost every walk, going back to the first one, except for a couple when she was pregnant.
“We started way back when my parents started,” Humberstone told the Langley Advance Times.
“I’vejust been walking ever since – and my children, and my grandchildren, and my great-grandchildren”
Loretta Solomon, president of the board of directors at the Langley Senior Resources Society, showed up with one of the largest teams at 25.
“We want to do this because we want people to know that seniors are active,” Solomon explained.
“We’re not just sitting down watching a TV or something, we’re always in exercise groups or walking, or something. So we love this event, and it gives us that sense of community as well.”
They won for the most walkers from one organization and, for the oldest walker to complete the walk, 94-year-old Dale Attrell.
READ ALSO: Langley seniors walking club keeps going despite poor weather
Tera Edell, recreation supervisor at Langley City, said the numbers were down slightly from the previous year, when the fact pandemic restrictions were starting to ease gave it a boost.
“We had a little bit of a higher number last year, but we were the first event [of its kind, post-pandemic],” Edell summarized.
Township Mayor Eric Woodward and Langley City Mayor Nathan Pachal gave the walkers and runners a send-off, with Pachal praising it as as an “opportunity to go out and enjoy a five or 10K walk and one of the many beautiful walking areas in both our great communities,” and Woodward calling it a “fabulous tradition.”
”I’ve always met somebody new, and it’s a great community pride event,” Woodward said.
READ ALSO: Langley Walk marks 50 years
The Langley Walk was started by founder Pete Swensson, a strong believer in the benefits of physical activity, who was hired as Langley’s recreation director in 1962.
His motto was “walk away your ills, instead of taking pills.”
The first walk covered a route from Aldergrove Park to River Road to Fort Langley, then on to City Park. It was 18 miles long – 28 kms.
This year’s event offered a choice of 5 and 10K routes, with all finishers receiving a commemorative crest.
More photos from the Sunday Walk can be viewed online at the Langley Advance Times Facebook page.
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