Langley is made up of a series of neighbourhoods or "communities," some that were developed in the past few decades, while others enjoy long, rich histories, some reaching back to the mid to late 1800s. In this neighbourhood feature package, the Langley Advance Times introduces its readers to a few individuals who call these various areas of town home, talk about why they settled here, and address a little history about their neighbourhoods. Hope you enjoy this package.
Andy Schildhorn moved to Fort Langley from Kitsilano in Vancouver on the advice of a friend back in the 1990's. He says he has no plans to move out. Ever.
"I have a rancher, and so I don't need to worry about steps [when I get older]," said Schildhorn, who is about to turn 69.
"I think that they can take me out of that rancher in a gurney."
Schildhorn was sitting in the shade of a tree outside the historic heritage hall on Glover Road, after arriving for the interview in his classic British convertible with the top down.
It was a warm sunny day, and Fort Langley's many small cafes had set out tables and chairs for outdoor dining, while boats ambled up and down Bedford Channel.
With an estimated 3,700 residents, Fort Langley is often referred to as the "Birthplace of B.C.", one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in B.C.
History is everywhere, from the bright yellow hall on Glover, to a re-creation of the fort that was established in 1827 during the days of the fur trade with a reconstructed trading post that contains ten structures surrounded by a wooden palisade, as well as the BC Farm Museum, the restored CN Rail Station and Salishan Place museum.
It is also home to celebrations of art and culture, such as the Jazz Fest, Cranberry Festival, May Days and more.
"I've raised my family here, and Fort Langley has been very, very good to me," Schildhorn said.
"It has given me a lifestyle and a life that for the past 25 years that's been incredible, that's been very positive, and that is offered to anybody that comes here."
Unlike Schildhorn, whose family moved a lot when he was child, his two children grew up in one place – their Fort Langley home.
"I was able to give that stability to my kids, and I feel very fortunate to have been given that opportunity," Schildhorn explained.
"People move here, this is their end result. This is where they want to have their dream home, and they live here for 20, 30 years," he said.
Over the years, Schildhorn has been involved in many community initiatives, including the annual Remembrance Day celebration and the historic banners that decorate the streets.
"If you really want to be part of the community, you can get involved," he said.
"Even for me, when I moved here, I was living on 96th Avenue, just across from the old fire hall, and there was an ad in the paper, they were looking for firemen. And I'm like, what, firemen? They're looking for firemen? Sure, I'll go down, I'll drink beer with the boys. And, you know, 20 years later, I had a whole career of being a paid-on-call firefighter and ended up being the captain of the hall."
Highlights in history:
■ 1827: Fort Langley was established by the Hudson Bay Company as a fur trading post.
■ 1858: Following the Gold Rush, the British government established the Colony of British Columbia, with Fort as administrative centre.
■ 1930: Fort Langley Community Hall was built.
■ 1980: CN train station was closed permanently.
Hidden gem: Blaauw Eco Forest
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Documentary, The Blaauw Eco-Forest, details Glen Valley old growth preservation
Located at 8640 257a St., a little bit east of Fort Langley in the lowlands of Glen Valley, Blaauw Eco Forest covers 30 acres that includes mixed and coniferous forests, ponds and a bog, all open to the public.
Langley resident and retired businesswoman Ann Blaauw made donations totalling $5 million to Trinity Western University (TWU) to preserve an old-growth forest that would otherwise have been sold for development.
TWU professor of Biology & Geography and Environment David Clements, assistant Dean, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences,said the covenant with the Blaauw family requires public access.
"There's fewer and fewer of this kind of forest left now. So it's preserving a jewel of that kind of forest before, you know, they all disappear."
Trinity Western University students who have conducted research on the property, have discovered more than 115 animals on the property including species at risk (red-legged frogs and Pacific sideband snail).
More information about the forest can be found online at http://blaauwecoforest.ca/
