Township secures $22 million for new amenities

The Township of Langley will receive $22.3 million in Community Amenity Contributions (CACs) for rezoning a block of lots for industrial use in the Gloucester Industrial Park area of North Aldergrove.

Mayor Eric Woodward and other Councillors had called for a larger Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) as part of the rezoning process to help fund Township projects like a new community centre, soccer fields, and library. This is an over $20-million dollar increase over the initial CAC.

“We campaigned very heavily on what we called a fair deal from development, and this is a step in the right direction,” said Mayor Eric Woodward. “This is going to go a long way to proceeding with a capital plan that we need as a community and finding ways to pay for it that isn’t property taxes,” he added.

Council passed an official community plan amendment and rezoning for the 36-acre collection of properties located between 264th Street and 268th Street on the north side of 56th Avenue. The money will be deposited directly into the Community Amenity Contribution Fund.

This CAC money will be added to the recently announced $23 million from the Province intended for local priority infrastructure projects, ranging from affordable housing to childcare, from roadwork to rec centres.