Annual Tradition Brings Walkers To Brookswood

Fresh air, fitness, and an afternoon of fun for all ages will be held when a popular tradition returns.

The 56th annual Langley Walk will be held in Brookswood on Sunday, May 6, and residents are encouraged to lace up their shoes, gather their family and friends, and participate in a free event that has been part of the community for close to six decades.

Each year, the Walk is held in a different community of the Township of Langley or in the City of Langley. This year’s event starts and finishes at the George Preston Recreation Centre, at 20699 - 42 Avenue. Participants can walk, run, or bike a five- or ten-kilometre route and enjoy entertainment and activities including face painting, games, and bouncy castles. Members of the Langley Rivermen hockey team, Langley Gymnastics Foundation, Xtreme Allstar Cheer and Dance, Woo Kim Tae Kwon Do, and other local teams and organizations will be on hand, and sports fans are invited to come out to meet them.

Entertainment and registration begins at 12:00pm and the Langley Walk gets underway at 1:30pm.

“The Langley Walk is a great opportunity for people to get outdoors, be active, and explore some of the neighbourhoods that make up our community,” said Township of Langley Mayor Jack Froese. “It isn’t a competition, but people are very enthusiastic about participating. There are some Walkers who have been doing this event for years and it is great to see them proudly wearing vests or jackets full of the commemorative crests they have collected at the Walk.”

Everyone who finishes the Walk will receive a crest, and all those who participate are eligible to win draw prizes. Trophies and prizes will be awarded to the oldest walker and the most walkers from a school, family, and organization.

Participants can choose to complete a five-kilometre route or do it twice to achieve ten km. The route will accommodate little ones in strollers, those in wheelchairs, and rollerbladers. The route does feature some packed gravel sections and hills. Dogs on leashes are welcome, and the Walk will be held rain or shine.

After the Walk, a free snack, more activities, and entertainment will be offered. Participants are encouraged to bring their own refillable water bottles.

This year, the Walk will encourage young people to unleash their inner warriors at the Langley Walk Warrior Course. Held in conjunction with Youth Week, the free obstacle course is open to participants aged 13 to 18 years who are invited to conquer a climbing structure, tackle an inflatable boot camp course, and try parkour. Check-in starts at 12:00pm at the George Preston Recreation Centre.

“This is such a great opportunity for people to be active as a family or with a group of friends or co-workers,” said Township of Langley Recreation Programmer Stephanie Eby.

The Langley Walk was first held in 1963 and was established by Pete Swensson, the Township of Langley’s first Recreation Director.

“Swensson was a strong believer in the benefits of physical activity, and his motto was, ‘Walk away your ills, instead of taking pills’,” Eby said. “That advice still holds true today, and he left a great legacy for our community through the Langley Walk.”

Community members interested in helping with Langley Walk registration and route marshalling, including high school students looking for volunteer hours, are asked to contact Eby at seby@tol.ca.

For more information, contact the Parks and Recreation Division at 604-533-6086 or prinfo@tol.ca.