If you could stand the heat, conditions for the 54th edition of the Langley Walk were near ideal on Sunday afternoon.
The Langley Walk is held in a different community each year, and this year’s free community event started from the Timms Community Centre at 20399 Douglas Cresc. and offered five- and- 10-kilometre routes for participants to walk, roll, or run.
The Langley Walk was started in 1963 by Pete Swensson, Langley Township’s first Recreation Director, who was passionate about getting people involved in fitness. The first Walk drew about 500 people who walked a 22-mile course that stretched from Aldergrove Park to River Road, from Fort Langley to City Park.
The Walk hit its peak in the 1970s, attracting more than 5,000 people.
This year there was a sizable group of 800 participants, many of whom had to duck under an archway of balloons which were blown forward by the wind at the start of the walk.
Award winners were:
Most Walkers from an Elementary School: Wix-Brown Elementary
Most Walkers from a Middle School: Langley Fundamental Middle/Secondary School
Most Walkers from a Secondary School: Aldergrove Community Secondary School
Most Walkers from an Organization: Langley Immanuel Christian Reformed Church
Most Walkers from a Family: Humberstone Family
Oldest Walker: Dale Attrell (87 years old)
As a warm up for the walk, participants learned a few Bhangra steps from the Royal Academy of Bhangra in Surrey.