Langley Township website upgraded

Langley Township is encouraging its residents to Speak Up and have their say about programs and initiatives being offered in their community.

In May, a new online tool was launched to engage citizens and give them a chance to weigh in on issues. The speakup.tol.ca portal will feature forums and surveys on various subjects, provide information about ongoing projects, and allow the public to join in on topical discussions.

“The Township of Langley is always looking for new ways to engage the public and collect their input,” said IT manager Steve Scheepmaker. “We have our website at tol.ca and a strong social media presence. This is another way that we can use technology to connect with people and encourage them to provide us with feedback on various topics.”

With the initial introduction of speakup.tol.ca, Township staff will be monitoring the portal to see how it is accepted and used by the public and determine other ways it can be utilized.

Speakup.tol.ca is getting started with its first topic for discussion: the new Recreation, Culture, and Parks Master Plan.

“The new master plan will guide how recreation, culture, and parks services are delivered and infrastructure is provided over the next ten years,” said David Leavers, director of Recreation, Culture, and Parks. “The Township has grown and changed since the last plan was completed in 2002 and we will use this tool to help us learn what our residents feel is most important.”

To get the conversation started, the portal is asking residents what their favourite ways are to enjoy recreation, culture, and parks in the Township of Langley.

“Consultation with the community is critical to the development of the plan and we encourage people to have their say,” said Leavers. Community partners, organizations, and residents will have opportunities to share their thoughts and ideas, he said, and a telephone survey and online survey will be held in the coming weeks.

“Speakup.tol.ca is another way of gathering crucial input,” Leavers said. “We hope people make good use of it.”

Residents can respond to topics and contribute to Speak Up discussions by signing up with their name, email, and a password.