About Langley City
Langley City is a small municipality in Metro Vancouver. The city is located in between the Township of Langley and Surrey. Although small, the city is spacious and offers an abundance of parks, trails and outdoor/indoor activities. From junior football to hiking trails there’s great activities for all ages. According to the 2021 Census, the population of Langley City is 28,963.
In addition, the city is home to 18 public parks, a few wineries, and a mall. This city makes a great location for new and existing families to call home as it caters to everyone.
History of the city
The municipality of Langley City was incorporated in 1955 and was once a part of the Township of Langley. In the early 1900’s this city was known as Langley Prairie.
Once a rural area the city began to grow with the introduction of the British Columbia Electric Railway, the Fraser Highway and the Patullo Bridge providing accessibility without any hassles. Langley City turned into a hub and in 1955 this city became a member municipality of Metro Vancouver separating itself from the Township of Langley.
Appeal
Young Graduate
Township of Langley for a 1-bedroom unit starts at $1,274 and can go over $1,691 for a 3+ bedroom unit according to CMHC 2021. The average price for a home is $1,439,805 according to homeworthbc.ca.
This city is a great option for a young graduate as it offers affordability and has all the amenities of a large city without sacrificing the prairie views that surrounds the city.
Furthermore, the locals are friendly, and the community is close which makes it easy to interact with new people.
Families
This city is a great option for new and existing families to call home. Afterall, Langley City is full of fun and adventure and caters to sports enthusiasts, hikers, shopaholics and even wine aficionados.
In addition, Langley City has a recreational center and offers a variety of sports and activities for parents to enroll their children or participate. From hockey to jr. football there are plenty of ways to keep the kids busy.
Top Places to See
Downtown Langley
Langley City is primarily a residential city, where the majority of the residents live in the urban area of the city located in downtown and its neighbouring cities. Downtown Langley is home to over 500 shops. Enjoy leisure walks, brunch with close ones and games by night. By the way, this city is diverse so be sure to discover the local food scene.
Furthermore, explore the local community by participating in the year-round Mural Walk that includes 20 original creations by talented artists.
Uplands
Uplands is a beautiful community that is characterized by single-family detached homes. This community features an 18-acre fenced off-leash dog park that attracts its neighbouring communities. Furthermore, the park includes trails along Pleasantdale Creek that connects to the Nicomekl River Trail.
Douglas
Douglas community is characterized by multi-family residential complexes. This community is located north of the Nicomekl River and is known as a boutique shopping district. In addition, the neighbourhood of Douglas is considered the heart of Downtown Langley due its community gatherings for special events and local small town shopping experiences.
Things to do in Langley City + Local tips
Douglas Park
Douglas Park is located in Downtown Langley that features an adventure playground, a couple of tennis courts and a seasonal water park. In addition, the park contains a bowling green field, a sports box, basketball courts and public washrooms.
Furthermore, the park is unique as it offers a covered performance platform called “Langley Spirit Square” where an annual Shakespeare performance takes place.
Douglas Recreation Centre is located in the park and is available to rent. The centre is a popular choice for personal events such as wedding receptions and other celebratory occasions.
Shopping at Willowbrook Shopping Centre
Although located in the Township of Langley, Willowbrook Shopping Centre caters to the residents of Langley City as it’s close in proximity. In addition, the mall connects to Langley Centre that serves as a major transportation exchange hub for both cities.
Willowbrook Shopping Centre first opened in 1979 and is home to 140 stores and services with 4 being anchor tenants. The mall has undergone several expansions in the past. The most recent expansion began in 2020 with the date of completion aimed to be in the spring of 2023, the new area will add 27,500 sq. feet of additional indoor and outdoor space which will be called The Courtyard and will feature a bunch of new eateries.
Chaberton Estate Winery
Chaberton Estate Winery is a winery that specializes in cool-climate German white varietals with a French inspiration. The business is responsible for producing 50,000 cases a year. This wine is not only made with grapes from their vineyards but also use grapes from the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys. They offer a great selection of fine wines, from white to dessert wines taste them all here.
The winery offers complimentary tasting and is open 5 days a week from Wednesday to Sunday. If you visit be sure to stop by their gift shop and make a loved one’s day with a nice wine basket.
Thunderbird Show Park
Thunderbird Show Park is a North American equestrian event facility that hosts 9 weeks of hunter and jumper tournaments. Moreover, they are known for hosting the first competition for junior amateur riders. By the way, the show park also hosts world class athletes and horses in the FEI Grand Prix competitions.
If you’ve never been to such a show, take the opportunity and take the family out for an experience of a lifetime. Enjoy top tier show jumping and a variety of restaurants, bars and pony rides.
Leisure and Hobbies
Go Shopping
Located in the Township of Langley, Willowbrook Shopping Centre offers all the major retailers to help you stay up to date with the latest fashion trends. From furniture to shoes, get it all at this mall. If you get tired from shopping be sure to head over to the food court for a good meal and a quick pick me up.
By the way, the population in the Langley area is growing rapidly, for this reason the north side of the shopping centre has been re-developed with other expansions planned for the near future to feature more stores and entertainment.
Enjoy wine tasting
Are you a wine aficionado? If you are, head over to Chaberton Estates Winery, Fraser Valley’s oldest winery.
Enjoy wine tours and amazing vineyard views with your favourite person. Experience French bistro cuisines elegantly prepared with local ingredients at Bacchus Bistro. The bistro is situated on the winery and overlooks a 55-acre vineyard.
Watch show jumping
Experience the elegant sport of show jumping at the Thunderbird Show Park. This event facility is recognized for hosting the FEI Grand Prix and for giving amateur riders a platform to display their skills.
In addition, the park features a great selection of restaurants and bars. By the way, be sure to take the kids on a pony ride and for face painting fun.
Education
The City of Langley is combined with the Township of Langley School District 35 and between them there are 31 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 11 secondary schools. All schools are accessible by transit via bus.
Although, there are no colleges or universities in Langley City, post-secondary institutions are thankfully located within close proximity. Post-secondary institutions are located in the Township of Langley and Surrey. These include Trinity Western University, Kwantlen Polytechnic, Douglas College and Simon Fraser University.
Future of the area
The City of Langley is working towards redeveloping Brownfield. The area of Brownfield is primarily industrial. Langley City is working towards reducing the environmental impact by redeveloping underused and potentially contaminated properties into healthier land for finer developments. This strategy will not only help the environment but also increase local property values and build a sustainable community for all.
In addition, the City of Langley and Township of Langley region also approved 49 new developments, 16 are condos, 20 are townhouses and 13 are single family homes. Learn more about the future of Langley.
