The City of Langley is partnering with Metro Vancouver and the Institute for Sustainable Food Systems at Kwantlen Polytechnic University on the Langley Urban Agriculture Demonstration Project. The project will study the opportunities to bring urban agriculture to the 23 acre (9.4 ha) BC Hydro transmission right-of-way (ROW) between 200 Street and 204 Street, adjacent to Uplands Off-Leash Dog Park.
This collaborative community project offers educational and recreational opportunities, reconnects residents with local food production and aspires to broaden the local economy while demonstrating leadership in sustainability. Funded by Metro Vancouver through the Sustainability Innovation Fund, Langley Urban Agriculture Demonstration Project aims to develop an approach that can be replicated in other municipalities across the region.
The Langley Urban Agriculture Demonstration Project will involve consultation with partners and community members over 12 months and result in an urban agriculture plan for the BC Hydro ROW site. The process will include site assessments, stakeholder engagement, amenity design, budgeting and operations planning. The first Community Open House is scheduled for May 10th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Alice Brown Elementary School Gym, 20011 44 Avenue, Langley. City residents are invited to drop in, learn about urban agriculture and contribute their views about possible uses for the site. For more information about the Langley Urban Agriculture Demonstration Project, visit city.langley.bc.ca.
Kent Mullinix, Director of Institute for Sustainable Food Systems, Kwantlen Polytechnic University - "Reconnecting urban and suburban dwelling Canadians with core food system activities- including ecologically sustainable farming - and facilitating greater understanding and appreciation of their relationship with the land is imperative for our sustainable, resilient future. Local and regional governments will play a key role in facilitating this. Metro Vancouver and the City of Langley are taking a leadership role in this regard and the Institute for Sustainable Food Systems at Kwantlen Polytechnic University is exceedingly pleased to be collaborating with them on this precedent setting initiative. "
Jaspal Marwah, Regional Planner, Metro Vancouver - "The Urban Agriculture demonstration project is a collaboration between the City of Langley, Kwantlen Polytechnic University and Metro Vancouver. This initiative involves planning and designing an Urban Agriculture project in a 10 hectare powerline corridor right-of-way in the City of Langley. This collaborative project seeks to leverage the potential of transforming underutilized lands into an improved community asset that strengthens local food systems, generates new education, community development and recreation opportunities, and supports the development of complete communities. Given that there are similar corridor sites throughout the region, this pilot project is an opportunity to field test an approach that could be replicated in other jurisdictions."
Roy Beddow, Deputy Director of Development Services & Economic Development, City of Langley - "The City's Sustainability Framework, identifies the goal of supporting local food production on underutilized land. This project aims to bring compatible urban farming to a power line corridor in an established single family residential neighbourhood. In addition to demonstrating the potential for local food production, the project will also create community partnerships and educational opportunities while enhancing amenity values in a utility corridor."
