Langley, British Columbia (district municipality)

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Langley Township
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settlement_type = District
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image_shield = Langleytownship-coatofarms.gif
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map_caption = Location of Langley Township in Greater Vancouver


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Canada
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = British Columbia
subdivision_type2 = Regional District
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leader_title =Mayor
leader_name =Kurt Alberts
leader_title1 = Councillors
leader_name1 = Collapsible list
title = List of Councillors
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1 = Charlie Fox
2 = Howie Vickberg
3 = Grant Ward
4=Jordan Bateman
5=Steve Ferguson
6=Kim Richter
7=Mel Kositsky
8=Bob Long
leader_title2 =MP
leader_name2 =Mark Warawa (Conservative)
leader_title3 =MLA
leader_name3 =Mary Polak (BC Liberal Party)
Rich Coleman (BC Liberal Party)
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established_title = Incorporated
established_date = April 26, 1873
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area_footnotes = [http://www.township.langley.bc.ca/ Township of Langley] ]
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area_land_km2 = 306.93
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population_as_of = 2006
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population_total = 93,726
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timezone = PST
utc_offset = −8
timezone_DST = PDT
utc_offset_DST = −7
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website = [http://www.township.langley.bc.ca Township of Langley]
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The Township of Langley is a district municipality east of Surrey, located south of the Fraser River in southern British Columbia. It is not to be confused with the City of Langley.

History

From time immemorial, the area that is now Langley was inhabited by various Stóːlō nations, including the Katzie and Kwantlen, who continue to live in the area and fish along the Fraser River.

The [http://www.tol.bc.ca Township] is home to the birthplace of British Columbia, the historic fur trade post of Fort Langley.

The first Europeans to stay in the area permanently were the traders of the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC). In 1827, Fort Langley was built on the banks of the Fraser River, in the area now known as Derby Reach. It was one of a string of trading posts built up and down the Pacific Coast to compete with American fur traders for the rich pelts available in the region.

The first fort, built with two bastions, a wooden stockade and several buildings, proved to have been built too close to a fast-moving part of the river, in an area prone to flooding. It was rebuilt in 1839 farther upstream. As the HBC's network of forts in the interior grew, Fort Langley became a hub for farming, smithing and for shipping furs back to Europe.

In 1858, gold was discovered in the Fraser River in what is now the interior of British Columbia. With thousands of gold prospectors streaming into the province, the British government created British Columbia as a colony. James Douglas was sworn in as the new colony's first governor in Fort Langley, which was briefly the capital of the new region. The fort also became important as a supply station for the miners heading up the river toward the gold fields.

When the capital was moved to New Westminster, Fort Langley's importance began to decline. The Hudson's Bay Company subdivided and sold its farm on Langley Prairie. Logging and farming replaced fur trading as the dominant local industries.

Recent developments

In February 2006 the Township of Langley moved its Municipal Hall from the "core area" of the Township to the growing Willowbrook area. The new facility also includes a new library, fitness room (which incorporates a special type of hardwood floor room) and a new community policing station.

Since the 1980s, Langley City and surrounding lands administered by the Municipality have been subject to extensive strip mall development. The old town core remains pleasant to walk through, however many core businesses (including the civil courts and several banks) have moved to the malls, fostering an automobile-dominated community. In addition to this, the community allowed extensive strip development along the Langley Bypass, which has become the new sprawled business area of the city.

Construction of the Golden Ears Bridge has started.

Demographics

* Population (2006): 93,726
* Area: km2 to sq mi|306.93|spell=UK

Culture of Langley

The Township of Langley is largely a suburban community, but, while the center is increasingly urban, the periphery (particularly in the South and Southeast) maintains its agricultural nature. The neighbourhoods of Willoughby and Walnut Grove are quite suburban, and feature large numbers of big-box stores, the Willowbrook Shopping Centre, and the Famous Players Colossus Theatre Complex. Other areas of the city feature Fort Langley National Historic Site, the Twilight Drive-in, the Canadian Museum of Flight, numerous parks, beaches, and horse farms (which garner Langley the title of "Horse Capital of British Columbia."Fact|date=August 2008) The Otter Co-op is a major commercial and agricultural centre for the community of Aldergrove.

Langley is also home to the Langley Ukulele Ensemble and many sports clubs. There are several ice-rinks in town, including the George Preston Centre in Brookswood, the Sportsplex in Walnut Grove, and the Aldergrove arena.

Education

chools

Langley Township is served by the School District 35 Langley. It also contains one francophone elementary school, which is part of the province-wide CSF (conseil scolaire francophone), School District 93.

Tertiary education

Langley is home to Trinity Western University, a private Christian liberal arts university, and the Langley satellite campus of Kwantlen Polytechnic University, a public undergraduate university.

Government

The Township of Langley is composed of an eight-member council and a mayor. All members of council are elected to three-year terms in elections that take place in late November.

* Mayor: Kurt Alberts

* Councillors:
** Jordan Bateman
** Steve Ferguson
** Charlie Fox
** Mel Kositsky
** Bob Long
** Kim Richter
** Howie Vickberg
** Grant Ward
* Incorporation date: 1873

Communities

*Aldergrove
*Brookswood
*Fernridge
*Forest Knolls
*Fort Langley
*Glen Valley
*Hopington
*Milner
*Murrayville
*Willoughby
*Walnut Grove

References

External links

* [http://www.tol.bc.ca Township of Langley]
* [http://portal.sd35.bc.ca/ Langley School District 35]
* [http://www.langleybusinessdirectory.com Langley Business Directory]
* [http://recexpress.tol.bc.ca RecExpress: Langley Recreation]
* [http://www.lufca.com Langley United Football Club]

Canadian City Geographic Location (8-way)
Northwest = Pitt Meadows, Barnston Island
North = Maple Ridge
Northeast = Mission
West = Surrey, Langley City
Centre = Township of Langley
East = Abbotsford
Southwest = Blaine (Washington, USA)
South = Lynden (Washington, USA)
Southeast = Sumas (Washington, USA)