ALDERGROVE S STAR STAR Your Hometown Community Newspaper for over 54 Years
| Thursday, January 31, 2013
| Thursday, January 31, 2013 Metis Culture Metis Culture Celebrated at Fort! Celebrated at Fort! PAGE 3
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A ‘Memorable’ Walk for Alzheimer’s Cause
HARRY HUNT PHOTO
Above, the Alzheimer Society’s 2013 honoree Carrol Horne and her family cut the ribbon to start Aldergrove’s Walk for Memories, Sunday, Jan. 27 at Aldergrove Athletic Park. “Team Dave” (at left) was among the many teams and individuals who raised funds in memory of the late Dave Hartl. Hartl passed away with a rare form of dementia at a young age. The Alzheimer Society estimates that about $30,000 was raised at this year’s walk in Aldergrove. See letter, page 6.
Glen Valley land sale approved By DAN FERGUSON Aldergrove Star
Langley Township council has approved the controversial sale of Township-owned land in Glen Valley to help fund a new community centre, swimming pool and ice rink in Aldergrove. The decision to sell four parcels of land near 84 Avenue and 260 Street was made during a closed-door meeting Monday and announced at the end of the evening session of council by mayor Jack Froese, who read out a prepared statement. “This decision comes after hearing much input from the community, from people passionate about pre-
serving these lands,” Froese said. “With this decision, we feel we have struck a balance between retaining environmentally significant land that residents have shown is a much valued resource and the need to raise funds for a new recreation centre for the community.” Froese said the Township will keep all of the parcels to the west along 257A Street while authorizing the sale of the four lots to the east along 260 Street. Froese noted the decision comes after council cancelled a proposed sale of 21 acres along 84 Avenue, between 252 and 254 Street known as McLellan Forest
“Nearly 50 acres of Glen Valley land will be retained, and approximately 20 will be marketed,” Froese said. Two of the lots will be sold right away, while the other two will require improvements and remediation work before they are sold, the mayor said. The unsold land, described as the “treed portion of the former gravel pit site” will total 25 acres, more than half of the total property, Froese said. Remediation work will be done to the unsold property where necessary and council may consider designating it as parkland in the future, Froese added. Council also approved using
money from Township surplus funds and reserves, as well as short term borrowing “of less than five years” to fund construction of the Aldergrove Community Centre until the land sales occur. The decision is a defeat for the recently-formed Watchers of Langley Forests (WOLF), a residents group that has been campaigning to preserve the property. WOLF condemned the decision in an online statement posted to their blog after the decision was announced. “The Township is presenting this as an acceptable compromise,” the statement said.
“It is not. The forest is a whole ecosystem and must be preserved as such. When you lose half a forest in size you get something less than half a forest.” “This is not any kind of balance that respects the environment. This is lip service.” WOLF was trying to raise $3 million to buy the Township-owned land in Glen Valley to prevent its sale to developers. In December, the group had to admit defeat, telling Township council that they found “passionate support” for preserving the forest but only a small amount of donations.” SEE: Page 3
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