KPU’s Langley Campus vision revealed. Integrates with Langley City’s Innovation Boulevard.

Recently, Kwantlen Polytechnic University released their “KPU 2050 Campus Master Plan.” This plan outlines the guiding principles and vision for each of KPU’s campuses.

KPU’s campuses today are commuter focused. The Langley campus is surrounded by a large parking lot and is active only during school hours.

Concept plan for Langley campus. Select image to enlarge.

These are the goals from the new campus master plan:

Living Campus
We heard a call for campuses that foster amenities, services and destinations that bring vibrancy to campus life. Students, faculty and staff all want a reason to stay on campus after their school or work day comes to a close, and possibly to extend the stay on campus through the introduction of on-campus student housing.

Connected
For some, this meant the ability to be connected to the events and programs offered in their neighbouring community or on other campuses. For others, this meant the ability to travel between the campuses conveniently. Noting the COVID Pandemic, this goal takes on the potential to see the KPU community be better connected digitally, through online learning and working platforms.

Green
Students, faculty and staff are eager for KPU to continue its efforts to be a leader in sustainability, starting from the physical campus in acknowledgment of KPU’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2050 and extending out to the many facets of the university. They also want to see green spaces on campus that can allow for biophilia, recreation or outdoor study.

Resilient
The KPU community wants the campuses to be resilient through an uncertain future. This was expressed through the theme of adaptable spaces and sustainable resource stewardship.

The highlights of the concept plan for the Langley campus are:

• Restoring the natural environment along the Langley Bypass
• Creating a pedestrian-friendly campus
• Undergrounding the parking
• Connecting people to Logan Creek
• Integrating with Langley City’s “Innovation Boulevard” vision with buildings that front Glover Road that provide retail or other services to the whole community
• Looking at introducing student housing on-campus

Langley City is currently updating our Official Community Plan. KPU’s new vision for their Langley Campus ties into Langley City’s plan. The Innovation Boulevard concept along Glover Road is about creating a strong connection to KPU. For example, this connection could include creating student housing above business and industry connected with KPU’s research areas.

KPU’s Langley Campus has leading botany research and training programs. Recruiting an agrotech company to set up along the Innovation Boulevard might be a good fit.

KPU’s Langley Campus has a brewing instructional laboratory. Encouraging craft brewers and distillers to locate along Innovation Boulevard would tie into KPU’s campus plan.

KPU’s Langley Campus has a leading music program. Langley City is proposing to build a performing arts centre in our downtown core. There is an opportunity to explore what that would mean for the Innovation Boulevard, which connects Langley City’s Downtown to the KPU campus.

I am encouraged to see that KPU is looking to invest in their campuses to integrate them into their communities.