While all elections are important, this Saturday’s election of a new Langley City Council is particularly special. This will be the first time that citizens will be voting for a council that will serve a four-year term. Also, with only three incumbents running, there will be new voices at the council table.
When I decided to run for Langley City Council last year, it was because I wanted to help make Langley City a better place by bringing fresh, practical ideas to the council table. These ideas are focused on three points: supporting a strong local economy, building an accessible and safe community for all people, and enhancing our park system.
Over the past several months, I have had the chance to talk with many people in our community. I’ve talked with Downtown business owners that want to work with City Hall to make our core an inviting place during the day and during the evening. I will work to form new partnerships with Downtown Langley businesses that support initiatives to enhance our core.
I’ve heard from people that live near Downtown that want to make sure it remains a walkable destination. I will work to support projects and development proposals that will enhance the walkability of Downtown Langley. I will also work to remove barriers that are limiting walkable redevelopment.
I’ve talked with seniors that want safer streets. Slips, trips, and falls are a very real and serious risk for our aging population. I will work to ensure that our sidewalks and walkways are widen and lighting enhanced where needed. I will make sure that our sidewalks remain accessible (even after it snows) and are in a state of great repair.
I’ve talked with families that want streets where they can let their kids walk or ride their bikes to school or to a park. There are some parts of our community where sidewalks are missing, I will work to put a funded program in place to fill in these missing links. The City of Langley has been talking about building safe bike lanes and greenways since I’ve lived in the community. I will work to make this a reality.
I’ve talked with people in the community that are concerned that our streets are turning into speedways. I will work to make sure that our streets truly benefit the whole community whether you live, walk, cycle, or drive on those streets.
Everyone that I’ve talked to wants to see our parks enhanced and their safety improved. I will work to make sure we restore Brydon Lagoon. I will also work to make sure that we install coordinated wayfinding in our park system. I will work to put a funded program in place to enhance the lighting and infrastructure in our parks.
One of the concerns I’ve heard from parents is that they sometimes don’t feel safe in our parks. We must take back our parks for all people. This means ensuring that the City is removing unsafe items that may be discarded in our parks. I will work to form partnerships with the RCMP and volunteer organizations to bring eyes and ears into our parks; criminal activity doesn’t like visibility.
I have been advocating for a better Langley, South of Fraser, and Metro Vancouver for close to a decade. If elected to Langley City Council, I will work with the community, others on council, and city staff to build streets that work, a community that's strong.
Election Day Information
November 15, 2014
Voting from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm
Nicomekl Elementary School
20050 53rd Avenue
Remember to bring your voter card and ID. For more information, please visit the City of Langley’s election FAQ page.
If you have any questions, please email me at nathan@nathanpachal.com or call 778-288-8270.
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