Editor: As we enter the 2018 municipal election cycle voters need to decide what they want and expect from our next mayor and council in the Township of Langley.
I’m of the firm opinion that what is most needed is a council that makes every decision and vote that considers the community first. I do not believe that either of the past two councils in the majority, brought a community first vision to issues they were voting on to enact. I feel this lack of community first vision has resulted in ill advised development being allowed to continue, has caused deep division to creep into the Township and has ultimately caused Langley to grow faster than is feasible.
It has become clear that today’s frenetic pace of development has surpassed the capability for services and transportation to grow in kind. As such, the Township of Langley can ill afford to go another four years down the road of suspect development. Gone are the years of a slow and steady pace of development that can be easily absorbed and maintained by our Township. The Regional Growth Strategy within Metro Vancouver 2040 appears to be intolerant of slow and steady growth.
This year’s election like previous elections offers candidates in three categories.
• Incumbents — Voters need to ask themselves. Have the incumbents running again, proven themselves to be community minded, based on this past term in office? Did they pose prudent questions to development proposals? Did they offer ways and means to better our communities?
• New candidates — What do we know of these new persons running for council? Have they advocated for a better Township? Do they bring a community-first vision and commitment? Have any of their past actions been community centered?
• Former councillors — How did these candidates represent voters when they were on council previously? Did they do enough in the spirit of community to earn our votes again?
The decisions made by the elected mayor and council over the next four years will leave a lasting impact for many decades. Will the new mayor and council have the community-first vision so desperately needed? Will they possess the courage to demand only the best developments? Will they only allow densities that are realistic and sustainable? Do they believe in and will they champion preservation of existing character of Langley’s communities?
What the Township of Langley needs are candidates that will bring a voice for the best future for our communities. Show me a mayor and eight councillors that are committed to a community-first approach and I’ll show you a Township of Langley far better off than we are now. It’s time to move forward to better place and we need the right candidates to get us there. We all need to use our voice and place our votes to bring community first to reality.
B. Cameron,
Langley