Langley Township: Residents resent being in the 'doughnut hole'
Lack of a community plan for the Central Gordon area troubles residents.
Like a hole in the centre of the doughnut, there is one area of south Willoughby not going through a development boom.
The residents of Central Gordon came to the Langley Township council last Monday night asking for some action on their community plan.
"It is the hole in the middle, and it is completely overlooked," said Peggy Weatherdon.
The area listed as Central Gordon runs from 72nd Avenue to 68th Avenue, and roughly from 202B Street to 205 Street, and has about 75 properties.
All of Willoughby is slated for increased density and development in the future, but each small neighbourhood must also go through its own planning process first.
Weatherdon said the residents of Central Gordon are being left uncertain of what to do because of a lack of progress at the Township level.
Some residents have sold their properties, which are now being either rented out or left vacant until redevelopment begins.
This means some properties are getting run down, and others are attracting illegal dumping, said Weatherdon.
A TV, a pile of shingles and other junk has collected at the end of one street.
"Once the garbage starts, it doesn't stop," she said.
Other Central Gordon residents are staying put, waiting for a development plan to be in place before they sell.
Some seniors are struggling with the decision of whether to sell now, or to wait for a better price, when they don't know how long the wait will be.
The residents would also like to know when they can expect the extension of services like sewer and water to their streets.
"The new people [in Willoughby] have all the services, and we don't have any," said Weatherdon.
She told council she gathered the signatures of 51 property owners asking for a neighbourhood plan, but said there has still been no real action.
Councillors Kim Richter and Jordan Bateman expressed concern over the situation.
published on 02/27/2007
The Schacter Team - Langley Real Estate