LANGLEY CITY, B.C. - Mayor Delaney Mack and a new Langley City council will be sworn in tonight, and one of their first jobs will be deciding what to do about the recreation projects voters weighed in on last month.
The inaugural meeting for the incoming council takes place Monday, November 2 at 7 p.m., the City says in its official results announcement.
Mack, of Achieving for Langley City, was elected mayor in the October 17 election. Joining her on council are Andrew Flitton, Michael Hylands, Scott Thompson, Rick Orlando and Simi Rajput, all of Achieving for Langley City, and Heather Jenkins of Langley City First. Tony Ward and Celene Hoag were elected as school trustees.
Turnout rose sharply: 28.5 percent of voters cast 6,209 ballots, up from 18.4 percent and 3,778 ballots in 2022, according to the City’s official results.
Voters also answered a non-binding Community Opinion Vote on recreation facilities, with 4,998 ballots cast. The Al Anderson Memorial Pool expansion won support, with 59.2 percent voting yes and 40.8 percent no. The Timms Community Centre expansion combined with a new Performing Arts and Cultural Centre was rejected, with 42.9 percent yes and 57.1 percent no. Moving ahead with both projects was rejected more heavily, with 35.4 percent yes and 64.6 percent no.
The opinion vote does not approve or reject the projects on its own. The City says the new mayor and council will consider the results, along with other information, before deciding whether to direct staff to continue planning for either or both projects, and that further work on costs, funding options and technical details would be needed first. If borrowing is required, a separate approval process would be required before the City could proceed.
For Langley City residents, and for Surrey residents who use Langley City facilities and shops, tonight’s swearing-in sets up the key local decision of the winter: whether the pool expansion that voters backed moves forward, and what happens to the arts centre plan they turned down.
(Source: City of Langley, official election results announcement)
