Obfuscated Political Speech, (Obfuscation is the art of obscuring the intended meaning of communication by making the message difficult to understand, usually with confusing and ambiguous language.) otherwise, “talking a lot, saying little and committing to nothing”. It’s not new in politics, but it is pathetic listening to this year’s opposition slate and independents in the Township of Langley election! There is only one team of candidates that have planned for and committed to this project, committed to building the infrastructure needed to serve 60,000 NEW residents that have moved into our community in the last 11 years, and having development pay for it; long forgotten by those running in opposition this year!
The choice – the “Progress for Langley” team, that is just a fact! I explain in detail –
A little history, what got us to where we are? During the 2022 municipal election, candidate Eric Woodward and team promised the Willoughby Community Community Center and Pool in addition to a number of projects needed to address a very significant infrastructure deficit, not a dime spent in previous 11 years. Examples? The widening of 208th Street (delivered), 80th Ave. (delivered), 5 Arenas at the LEC (delivered), along with a wide variety of other projects throughout the Township of Langley (delivered), and I might add, he focused on how development would pay for them (Not property taxes) – CACs, ACCs – legal, NOT a new concept!
Not long after the election, an initial Community Public Engagement Open House was held for a Willoughby Community Center and Pool! A public engagement open house was held at the Yorkson Creek Middle School and was extremely well attended indicating the community’s critical need for such a facility. The proposed location of the planned Willoughby Community Center and Pool was in the South East section of Yorkson Community Park – across from the Tennis Center. Unfortunately, the Public Engagement Open House identified a significant problem – from the significant turnout and input from residents, it was clear, the planned Community Center and Pool would not fulfill the needs and demands of the community based on the available buildable footprint of land available in this location. So, what is next?
With a clear decision on that location, what next? We will couple it with the long-standing community need to move the Willoughby Elementary School from the corner of 80th and 208th – but to where? One thing that has been clear and obvious for years in Willoughby was the need to relocate the Willoughby Elementary School, for numerous reasons, not the least of which is student, parent, and staff safety! This intersection, 80th and 208th, is easily one of the busiest intersections in Willoughby, only to get busier given the development underway and planned. How out of date are our politicians; I made a statement on Facebook about a year ago; Charlie Fox, current School Trustee (former councillor in the Township) fired back “there was no reason to relocate this school, it had been there for decades”! (what a ridiculous statement) Really Charlie, and the Willoughby population was around 14,000 people in 2011, TODAY 60,000 soon to be 80,000 growing to over 100,000! Must be nice and comfortable living on your farm in South Langley away from such traffic and congestion?
A few facts! The last expansion of the Willoughby Elementary School was in 2000; 4 classrooms were added. In 2004 registration was 345 students; today’s latest number is 657 students with multiple portable classrooms. Prior to Mayor Woodward and his team’s new proposal, the Langley School Board was planning an expansion of this school at this location (unbelievable) and there was no indication of any plans in their just published 10-year plan for any change ie relocation? You can’t make this stuff up?
The NEW Location Plan proposed by Mayor Woodward and his team? It was now up to Mayor and Council to come up with a suitable solution for this major development promised of a Willoughby Community Center and Pool, in a central location, with a property footprint large enough to look after communities identified needs. Plans were prepared for a facility providing for the previously identified community needs plus underground parking. A second Community Public Engagement session was then held at Alex Hope Elementary presenting the new proposal. It was very well attended and the new location was strongly supported! A NEW Willoughby Elementary School would be built on Township of Langley property on the former proposed Community Center site across from the Tennis Center in the South East section of the Yorkson Community Park. (next to 80th Ave.)
This proposal solves two major problems and issues – 1) The relocation of the Willoughby Elementary School increasing size and moving it to a safe location and 2) Providing the critical need for a Willoughby Community Center and Pool, not only filling the critical need in Willoughby but taking pressure off the Walnut Grove facility.
The proposed financial arrangements to bring this about and make it a reality? As identified, this proposal was put together by the Township of Langley and presented to the Langley School District and the Government of British Columbia.
It was proposed by the Township of Langley; they would donate their land in the Yorkson Community Park (South East corner next to 80th) for the new school (No cost to the Province or School Board) and the Township of Langley would then purchase the old Willoughby Elementary School site which would pay for the construction of the NEW Willoughby Elementary School. After thorough and in-depth discussions and negotiations with ALL parties an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) was concluded and signed off by all parties. In all respects, this is a very good deal for the taxpayers of the Township of Langley and the Langley School District.
Problem? All of this was concluded months ago, with a prepared firm contract / agreement prepared for signing by ALL parties. Our School Board have stone walled the sign off of this agreement for a number of months, in particular not dealing with it prior to the election currently underway. They are playing a political game which is detrimental to Township of Langley residents. Remember the Obfuscated Political Speech I talked about? Don’t take my word for it – In the words of Sarb Rai, current Langley School Trustee (Now Progress for Langley Candidate for Council) who has seen and heard the reality, being involved in meetings at the School District level – Quote “They continue to stall, delay, and prevent the land deal at Willoughby Elementary”! The majority on our school board are responsible for the delay in moving this much needed and wanted project forward through politically motivated delay tactics.
BREAKING NEWS – Proof? – The just released platform of the opposition slate in this year’s election state they will operate on a pay as you grow philosophy? The only conclusion you can draw from their platform; they are going back to the Jack Froese dark decade, approving developments while ignoring community infrastructure need due to their irresponsible actions, approving developments without spending a dime on infrastructure! Who is funding their campaign – developers? Is their plan to cease upgrading DCCs annually? Will they stop or reduce the amount of CACs and ACCs being collected as a favor to developers? Is that what they have promised developers? Their platform raises many questions!
The Willoughby Community Center and Pool will not be built until at least 2040 or later at best – Do you want to wait 14+ years? I don’t!
A reading of their platform is full of Obfuscated Political Speech, making it an artform, “talking a lot, saying little and committing to nothing”! A complete lack of understanding of what it takes to manage and run a municipality facing a critical infrastructure deficit thanks to a very dark decade of inaction, a few that are responsible, are running with the opposition slate – Whitmarsh, Richter and Kunst!
Question – Would 208th and 80th be widened if they were in charge – NOT!
What do we have to do to make a Willoughby Community Center and Pool a reality? We have ONE Choice – Vote the Progress for Langley team for Township of Langley Council and Board of Education!!
Mayor – Eric Woodward
Council – Tim Baillie, Steve Ferguson, June Park, Michael Pratt, Sarb Rai, Tess Rouse, Rob Rindt, Michelle St. Germain.
Board of Education – Matt Burck, Olivia Lake De Meza, Norma Jean Maxwell, Betty Siegel, Sean Stevenson
When you get elected?
“You Face the world how you found it, NOT the way you wish it was”!
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My most recent BLOG Posts relating to this year’s election are: Click on the following links to open –
- https://langleywatchdog.com/2026/04/14/township-of-langley-5-year-financial-plan-you-are-entitled-to-your-own-opinion-but-you-are-not-entitled-to-your-own-facts-politics-at-work/
- https://langleywatchdog.com/2026/07/28/upcoming-municipal-election-focusing-on-debt-ignores-the-incompetence-of-past-councils-it-ignores-60000-new-residents-needs-it-ignores-the-critical-lack-of-infrastructure-and-it/
- https://langleywatchdog.com/2026/08/09/township-of-langley-politics-decades-of-undue-influence-on-municipal-council-by-the-langley-establishment-power-brokers-friends-insiders-developers-we-are-recovering-a-strong-government-deliver/
- https://langleywatchdog.com/2026/08/12/accountability-of-a-municipal-council-what-does-or-should-that-word-accountability-mean-to-the-taxpayer-something-to-really-think-about-before-voting-this-year/
RG
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