Eric Woodward

We will remember them. Always.

What a crazy provincial election this one has been, over in a few more days. I have never seen anything quite like it. And about 55-60% of electors have already voted too. Apparently, some -- I think we can guess who they are -- don't like the John Horgan signs very much! The John Horgan signs in Langley East were reported to the Township of Langley to be removed because John Horgan is not a candidate in Langley East. I think people know that.... Looks like a solution was found. As long as the local candidate's name is on the sign, it satisfies the political signage bylaw. And to ensure no confusion, they had to make it clear that Ms Dykeman is not running for reelection. These petty tactics are what some are focused on. Others focus on the actual issues, and what we need here for Langley. I have never seen so many political signs for a single election from a single campaign. The quantity out there on our roads has become truly ridiculous. It’s a terrible waste. It's almost like some feel the need to put out a sign for every resident, as if nothing matters more to electors than name recognition, despite what that name now stands for. Council needs to address the election signage bylaw. A review has been delayed now for almost two years, delayed for little reason other than to help signage dependent politicians. We need to ban these signs, restrict them to specific locations and/or limit their quantity. #letsfixit #bcpoli #langley

Congratulations to Megan Dykeman, Andrew Mercier, and Bruce Banman, our new Township of Langley MLAs for Langley East, Langley and Abbotsford South. I look forward to working with all them for Langley and Aldergrove in the years ahead. And, of course, congratulations to the eleven other candidates for putting their names forward. It was a quick, tough campaign like no other, where anything could happen. And it did. Our needs in the Township of Langley are significant, from mo...re schools to support development, to rapid transit, to upgrades to transportation infrastructure. To meet the many needs of residents, municipalities and school boards need support from senior levels of government. We need and deserve MLAs that will work hard for Langley, there for us, there for the right reasons. In Langley East, specifically, after all the ballots were counted, Ms Dykeman's victory for John Horgan's BC NDP was decisive, even more so than on election day: -- BC NDP: 13,169 - 42.6% -- BC Liberals: 10,385 - 33.6% -- BC Green Party: 3,533 - 11.4% -- BC Conservative: 3,428 - 11.1% -- Others: 426 - 1.4% The BC NDP increased its percentage of the vote from 28.1% to 42.6% in just three years since 2017. Depending on where you sit, theories on why this is will be quite varied, indeed. Regardless, there are now four years to chat about it. A "safe" BC Liberal electoral district for decades, I was told just a few weeks ago by a long-time BC Liberal faithful that anyone could run for the BC Liberals in Langley East and win. I guess the voters had a different idea. And that is exactly why we actually have elections. For me, I am very glad this particular campaign and election is over. We can now all get back to work for Langley and BC. #letsfixit #langley

The Province of British Columbia confirmed a few days ago that the Township of Langley will get a $7.6M grant for Covid relief. For a challenging 2021 budget, this additional funding will help immensely. $7.6M means we can now look at a more complete reopening of our facilities, with all safety and other issues addressed, separate from the potential financial burden that represents with lower usage. In addition, given this past year that saw the suspension of important capital projects, such as needed progress at Yorkson Community Park, we can now get these capital projects back on track, among other important possibilities. #letsfixit #langley

If not for the pandemic, today would been have the 25th Annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival in Fort Langley. The festival's event manager Meghan DenHertog Neufeld and I, along with lots of other volunteers such as Jim Dyck, who has volunteered for the festival for years, hand delivered free cranberries to a few hundred households throughout Langley today. Great fun. If you still need some fresh cranberries, which so many would have picked up in Fort Langley today, stop by ...Cedar Rim Nursery on Glover Road the next few days. All proceeds going to Langley Hospice Society, a great cause. Happy thanksgiving weekend to you and your family. Have a safe and restful long weekend. #langley #fortlangley #cranfest

Exciting to see the civil upgrades underway for the rail crossing for vehicles and pedestrians, from downtown Fort Langley to Bedford Langley. Long overdue, for a crossing that has been a tad challenging for years, with so many people crossing back and forth. Great stuff. #langley #fortlangley

Every vote counts. And, of course, every vote needs to be counted. Elections BC has now reported that there are actually 10,770 mail-in and absentee ballots to be counted in Langley East. Almost all of these will be mail-in ballots. Sounds like a lot. And it is, in a way. It's an additional 34.5% of the total vote over and above the advance polls and election day.... https://www.langleyadvancetimes.com//langley-candidates-t/ However, of the 11,799 mail-in ballots requested, 6,450, 57.5%, were from Willoughby and Walnut Grove. These areas voted for the BC NDP at rates of 45.3% and 42.5% respectively, a decisive margin of almost 15% over the BC Liberals. An additional 723 ballots were requested from Fort Langley. Even though the BC Green Party did its best there, Fort Langley still voted for the BC NDP 35.8%, a margin of 3.8%. Therefore, 64% of the mail-in ballots, 7,174, were requested from areas that went decisively to the BC NDP. Only 4,040 mail-in ballots were requested from areas carried by the BC Liberals. Are we going to see a big shift in voting patterns via mail-ins than we saw on election day? And enough to overcome an 800 vote lead? Again, seems unlikely. #langley #bcpoli

The request for the crosswalk at school district headquarters came from the Board of Education, the LGBTQ+ committee of SD35, in coordination with the RCMP. The request was in process with staff and the Township of Langley SD35 liaison committee for many months. This is just one but very clear reason why we needed, and still need, a strong alternative to consider in this critical election. To focus on key issues to move Langley forward. Potential MLAs and existing elected off...icials need to be able to clearly govern for all residents of Langley. We must stand for inclusiveness and responsible governance. I feel that a majority of Council supported it for this reason. Especially once it was confirmed that no taxpayer funds would be go towards it, exactly as it was for the existing one in Fort Langley, paid for by private donations, what's the issue? All the the SD35 requested for was permission to install it in front of their respective head office, as per the their internal policies and mandates, with similar permission from the RCMP. #letsfixit #langley

A few days ago, Council directed staff to reopen WC Blair pool in Murrayville by the end of November. The local media report is not the full story. It has a sensational title to add to the drama, though, certainly. Only a few on Council wanted to open Walnut Grove before WC Blair. Staff outlined that it is less expensive, safer, faster, and more appropriate to open WC Blair first. WC Blair is more centrally located for all Township of Langley residents. Many seniors need it f...or therapeutic exercise, dependent on it for better health. For this purpose, WC Blair is warmer than Walnut Grove Community Centre. I wanted to open Walnut Grove along with WC Blair, but after Council ensured WC Blair would open. Mayor Froese refused a motion to open Walnut Grove even though he accepted an amendment to open Walnut Grove instead of WC Blair. Go figure. Because of that, and only that, further review of opening Walnut Grove has to wait until the next meeting. A pointless delay of two weeks. Regrettably, this context was left out of the media report. Those are the facts. Of course, the odd troll on Twitter is making stuff up again too. If we can go to a restaurant, or get a Starbucks, we can safely open our pools. Let's move forward safely and reasonably for those that need these important community facilities. Until Covid is over, each person can make their own decision on whether it is right for them to use them. I have placed a notice of motion on the agenda for the next meeting on November 9th to open Walnut Grove Community Centre. Let's open it for the groups that need it. Let's find the new normal. And let's discuss and debate facts, not fiction. #letsfixit #langley

Elections BC announced yesterday there are 6,405 mail-in ballots still to count for Langley East. There is an initial lead of 793 votes for the BC NDP, 3.88%. Granted, a margin of 3.88% doesn't sound like a lot, and 6,405 ballots still to count certainly does. However, it's unlikely that the BC Liberals can catch up.... If we assume the same breakdown as election day for mail-ins, the BC NDP would get 2,484 more votes. The BC Liberals, 2,235. To close that gap within just the mail-in vote the BC Liberal would need to "take" about 125 votes directly from the leading BC NDP candidate. They would need to take a total of 523 or so just to get back to even. A challenging task with 6 candidates. Seems unlikely. Further, in the advance polls at Bethel Mennonite, Murrayville Community Hall and the Willoughby Hall that ran from October 15th to the 21st, the BC NDP carried it against the BC Liberals by 447 votes, a margin of 4.33%, 0.45% more than on election day. Thousands of mail-in votes sent in around the same time as the advance polls would need to be of a substantially different trend. Again, seems unlikely. The BC NDP asked many times for its supporters to vote by mail. They did this in part because they did indeed call an election during a pandemic. But given their significant effort to promote the safer mail-in option to their supporters, it seems logical that these votes will tend to favour the BC NDP. Just an assumption, though. Of course, all the votes need to be counted. Anything could happen. But those are the numbers for Langley East. #langley #bcpoli

It was an honour to have even been considered as a potential candidate in this crazy, pandemic election. The idea of running for the NDP was leaked prematurely yesterday, as it was, and we did the best we could with that. After a day of reflection, I have decided to withdraw my name as a potential candidate in Langley East in the ongoing provincial election to potentially serve Langley as an MLA. I will also not run as an independent. Those that know me, know I have never bac...ked down to anyone, and will always fight for what is right, in Langley, and Fort Langley. But sometimes there are things outside of our control. We must look the bigger picture, and put the outcome for Langley before ourselves. As I have learned as a Councillor, there are problems that cannot be solved at the municipal level, such as the extreme need for new schools, affordable housing, homelessness, transit and transportation, and ensuring we have a Provincial government that governs for all, not just those that look and identify as we do. However, it has become all too clear within the last 24 hours that truly horrible, false personal attacks from a small nasty group will not cease, and will harm the current campaign for change here. Allegations are made, and given the short campaign timeframe, there is just no time for the facts of the matter to emerge. It is clear that some people will distract from the important discussions people everywhere need to have to ensure we all elect the government we need, for the times we live in. I strongly believe Langley needs a new generation of Provincial representation and leadership that will actually work hard, is in politics for the right reasons, and has a track record of getting things done. I will continue to work hard for all residents of the Township of Langley as a local Councillor, as I have these past two years. We have so much work still to try and do, from Willoughby infrastructure to the revitalization of Aldergrove, regardless of the political status quo that we face. It is an honour to have a role in public life, a role that I will continue to make the most of, and to continue to serve all that live here.

It is a great honour for the Board of the EWF to be taking over the Cranberry Festival. It's such an important event. It needs to continue. Not for us, but for Fort Langley, Langley, and everyone throughout the region who enjoys and looks forward to this annual event so much. Of course, the usual suspect(s) attack anything and everything that is about me in Fort Langley, even something as obviously benign as this. Here are the facts:... -- The Fort Langley BIA that runs the event is dissolving at the end of year. Someone else has to it take over, or it will not continue. It must continue! -- The Fort Langley BIA undertook a RFP process, offering the chance for any Fort Langley non-profit entity to apply. Initially, no one did. -- Our Board then changed its mind, put aside some reasonable concerns, and stepped up. Where no one else did, we applied to take it over. It needs to continue, for our local small businesses, especially, in these challenging times. -- The EWF will not be applying for any municipal grants for this event. We intend to expand the event a little bit to not require any taxpayers funds. The Board wants to make it fully sustainable without taxpayer funding of any kind. -- To ensure continuity and stability of the event, we have contracted with the existing event planner, Meghan Neufeld, who has overseen the event since 2013. It will continue to be great! And only continue to get better. -- Any and all profits from the event will be invested back into streetscape improvements in Fort Langley, such as upgraded and renewed sidewalks, and/or seating. 100%. -- We agreed to return oversight of the event back to the Fort Langley BIA should it ever reconstitute. -- We agreed to provide a full accounting all revenue and expenses to anyone that wants to see it. https://www.facebook.com/ewffortlangley/posts/2999368506834325 Personally, I think this is a great thing! Let's ensure this great event continues for years to come, hopefully returning in 2021. #fortlangley #langley #cranberryfest

A week ago now, Council approved the strip mall at 80th Avenue and 204th Street, in the heart of a new residential area. The hundreds and hundreds of voices that spoke against it mattered not at all. Mayor Froese with Councillors Kunst, Whitmarsh, Long, Ferguson, Davis and Arnason approved it. They approved one the most out of place, obsolete, wasteful urban forms possible. Only two of us voted against it, me and Cllr Richter.... Even when the strip mall was all but approved, I attempted to remove the drive thru. Voted down. I attempted to make it just a bit better, moving a few of the buildings up against the sidewalk to place parking in behind, not materially affecting the economics at all. Voted down. We will now have a line-up of idling cars along the sidewalk on 204th Avenue across the street from townhouses for the next 50 years. As I have said, one cannot claim to care at all about the cost of housing, climate change, walkability, or current planning principles and vote for strip malls from the 1980s. We have to do better this. We have to expect and demand better than this. Initially, Mayor and Council actually voted to send this back for a quality, mixed-use development. After showcasing the most unbelievable flip-flop I have ever witnessed, after intense lobbying, approved it just weeks later. This flip-flop was all about keeping a well-connected insider happy, nothing at all to do at with providing good outcomes for the community. People can still develop their property, make money, and invest and build new communities here, as they have a right to do. But development corporations do not have the right to build crap. We tried. We did what we could. And we will continue to try. And continue to do what we can to transition the Township of Langley into the 21st century. #letsfixit

Fun afternoon break with Rob Rindt of Western Turf Farms Ltd at the Roots and Wings Distillery tasting lounge on 240th at 78th. A brief celebration of finally getting the new grass down in the heart of Fort Langley... before getting back to work, of course! Rob offered the Eric Woodward Foundation a great deal, making it possible for us to skip hydroseed and move straight to new grass that looks fantastic, and was placed perfectly. A big win for Fort Langley. Great Langley bu...sinesses, great Langley people. Rob also supplied the right top soil for us to ensure the best possible drainage, and fixed up the play area mounds a bit too They needed a little extra TLC. The grass looks great, and we can't wait to put this amazing site to positive uses for the community and local businesses. #fixed #lemonade #ewf #fortlangley

Allowing a crappy strip mall in the middle of a new residential area symbolizes everything that is broken with the current development process in the Township of Langley. Nothing will change unless we change it. We need leadership from a Mayor and Council. The strip mall proposed for 204th and 80th is especially poor. No interface to large sections of the pedestrian sidewalk. A drive-thru queuing lane along a lot of its 204th Street frontage. Almost 60% pavement. 75% of its c...ommercial units away from the sidewalk. It is a design you would find on the Langley Bypass, not a new residential area in 2020. It will be there for up to 50+ years. At its initial consideration, with a vote of 8-1, Council actually sent this strip mall back to staff for a walkable, mixed-use proposal instead. After extensive lobbying, though, this was then reversed in one of the biggest flip flops I have witnessed in 10+ years of watching Council. It is now on its way to approval by a vote of 7-2. Council instinctively knew it’s an outdated, auto-oriented design in direct contradiction to pretty much every modern urban planning principle there is, but we are now going to approve it anyway? You can't claim to care about affordable housing, current urban design principles or climate change and vote for a strip mall in the middle of a residential area. Given that we are still in an ongoing pandemic with rising case counts, there isn't even a public hearing for this. Only written submissions to an early afternoon meeting. Given the lack of the standard consultation process, please comment here with your thoughts. I will summarize the feedback for the rest of Council prior to the early afternoon meeting. Let's build real, walkable neighbourhoods residents deserve. Let's not build yet another strip mall. #langley #willoughby #letsfixit

Happy Labour Day! Approaching almost two years on Council, one of the most interesting aspects of the job is definitely social media. You can't change things without getting a little pushback! We thought we would have some fun with it. Best to not take things too seriously, most of all ourselves, not let it affect you too too much. Hopefully we can all learn to be a little nicer to each other, especially when we disagree. #langley #fortlangley #letsfixit

The 216th interchange and overpass is now open, connecting 80th to 88th Avenue. The Township of Langley actually contributed $27M, authorized by the previous Council, borrowed from the Development Cost Charges program. A bit unusual, indeed, for infrastructure senior levels of government should be paying for. 216th has been in the transportation plan for decades, a needed new connection to Highway #1 and north-south connection for all the new development in Willoughby, and st...ill yet to come. Unfortunately, it now connects to 80th Avenue, a two lane road in worse condition than even 208th Street, known about for years by previous Councils, simply ignored. And, just how it is, there just aren't five votes on this Council to properly address the missing road infrastructure in Willoughby, such as 208th Street and 80th Avenue, despite numerous 2018 campaign promises to do so. Politicians are what politicians are. #letsfixit

New amenity and play areas for public use at the corner of Mary Avenue and Glover Road in Fort Langley, in the final stages. Two play areas connected by a cool tunnel, 10 picnic tables, ping pong, picket fence, a new wall mural and endless possibilities for events, family gatherings, and fun times. It has been been truly wonderful for the Eric Woodward Foundation Board to finally be allowed to move forward with some positive additions for the commercial core of Fort Langley.... After almost two years of asking for permission to remove derelict, obviously awful buildings that were a blight on the village, the difference is tangible. You can feel the progress for the betterment of Fort Langley that positive interim uses can bring in such an important location. We didn't make it time for Labour Day weekend, but grass is nearing arrival with final touches almost in place for safe, physically-distanced activities in the heart of Fort Langley, with play structures in place for early next year. #ewf #fortlangley

Willoughby and Langley deserve better than more crappy strip malls. A few weeks ago, Council granted initial approval to another one at 80th Avenue and 204th Street. This isn't on the bypass or next to a gas station, but in the middle of Willoughby, in the heart of a new, growing residential area. It's now set for public input and final approval in September. Only two of us on Council voted against this. If approved in September, this is what we will be stuck with there for t...he next 50 years, at least. Strip malls like this represent the total fail that is our current planning process. Strip malls represent millions in lost tax revenue that everyone else has to make up, a total waste of land. They represent the worst of obsolete urban planning, where mixed-uses, even affordable housing. could go. We need to be building real neighbourhoods meant for the future, that people will actually care about. Nobody cares about a parking lot, with blank walls with fake windows and entries facing the sidewalk, for example. One cannot claim to stand for addressing climate change, and vote for something like this. One cannot claim to care about walkability or the cost of housing, and vote for something like this. One cannot claim to care about quality neighbourhoods, and vote something like this. Walkability needs to be more than a buzzword dropped by politicians at election time that then turnaround and vote for strip malls. Langley residents deserve what everyone else in the region takes for granted: mixed-use, quality, walkable development, especially in residential areas. One can make money and build good projects at the same time. All over the region, many are doing just that everyday. We need to be building for the future, for people, not vehicle storage. We need to be creating sidewalk-based amenities and mixed-use housing that creates real neighbourhoods. We must prioritize quality, modern land use principles. We must not prioritize the profits of a few corporations at the expense of our new residential areas. Change cannot wait yet again until the next election. Together, we have to at least try to stop this now. #willoughby #langley #letsfixit