Update and Open House for the Langley Urban Agricultural Project

Metro Vancouver, Langley City, and KPU’s Institute for Sustainable Food Systems have been working on a concept plan that could bring urban agriculture to Langley City along the BC Hydro transmission line right-of-way between 200 Street and 204 Street. Metro Vancouver is funding this project through its Sustainable Innovation Fund.

Back in May, an open house was held to get feedback from residents on proposed ideas for the concept plan. Based on the feedback received, three proposed design options are being presented for further feedback at an open house schedules for:

Date: Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Times: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: Alice Brown Elementary School Gymnasium, 20011 - 44 Avenue

The three options being presented are as follows.

Option 1: The Classroom

Concept Option 1: The Classroom. Select image to enlarge.

The Classroom is focused on education with a school garden and outdoor classroom as core amenities that will provide a variety of opportunities for learning and exploration. The classroom will be closely connected to surrounding schools providing opportunities to link curriculum activities to real life experiences in food production. There will also be an emphasis on community education with learning about production systems and environmental issues integrated through interpretive signage. The classroom will be managed in close partnership with community schools with a focus on the production of food to be used within institutions to promote healthy eating and environmental sustainability.

Option 2: The Orchard

Concept Option 2: The Orchard. Select image to enlarge.

The Orchard is designed to be a perennial food producing landscape that is seamlessly integrated with community use and habitat creation. The orchard features three distinct community production areas including a fruit trees orchard, berry patch, and a food forest. These three areas are connected to naturalized areas on the site and intertwined with new and existing pathways. The perennial landscape is designed to be productive while also enhancing the atmosphere and quality of the space as a community amenity. There will also be opportunities for passive education through the use of educational signage.

Option 3: The Farm

Concept Option 3: The Farm. Select image to enlarge.

The farm is a concept that seeks to maximize the potential for food production on the site while maintaining current uses and limiting impacts on the surrounding neighbourhood. Production will focus on human scale agriculture and feature both perennial and annual cropping systems. The farm will aim to integrate community use of the site with production and environmental restoration. This landscape will mimic small scale farming systems and be managed through community cooperation and the central coordination of a urban agriculture society in the City of Langley.

Each of the proposed three options share some common features. The gray hashed areas are buffer planting zones which will be designed to separate the proposed centre uses from surrounding residents, the hydro towers, and other utilities. The green areas are habitat areas which will be designed to enhance biodiversity, manage invasive spices, and includes the restoration of Muckle Creek. The yellow area is a pollinator garden corridor which will have plantings that will attract wild pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

For more information on the Langley Urban Agricultural Project, please visit the City’s website. I should note that this project includes the development of a preferred concept plan, but not the implementation of the plan.