Aldergrove Mall becoming a ‘political football’
Critics knock timing of councillor’s post of potential plans in lead-up to election
Disinterest doomed the Aldergrove Mall a decade ago, but in the lead-up to the municipal election, the rundown property is the talk of the town again.
Last week, longtime Langley Township Coun. Bob Long posted a potential redevelopment plan for the mall on his Facebook page, along with a letter from its owners, the Janda Group, expressing their gratitude to the current council for supporting the project.
The timing of the letter and the vague sketch that accompanied it were immediately attacked by council’s critics, including council candidate Eric Woodward, who called the plan “a version of a strip mall design.”
Aldergrove has been a significant part of Woodward’s campaign since he declared his run for mayor at the end of the summer. House prices in the community on Metro Vancouver’s eastern border have long been lower than those in the rest of Langley, and businesses along Fraser Highway have had trouble enticing commuters to stop on their journey between Langley City and Abbotsford.
Woodward takes credit for helping to revitalize Fort Langley, and hopes to do the same in Aldergrove by encouraging developers to create a walkable community.
Two days before he hosted a community forum in Aldergrove, the mayoral candidate posted a photo of himself in the vacant Aldergrove Mall parking lot, hoping to generate interest in his meeting. He was surprised to see Long ’s post about the township’s redevelopment plans shortly after.
“I think it’s fairly obvious that he’s playing politics,” Woodward said of Long.
He questioned why council didn’t create the conditions for the community’s redevelopment sooner, pointing to the growth all around Aldergrove. “If you look at land values and real estate prices, there’s no reason the community in the middle shouldn’t be growing too,” he said.
Urban planner Cherie Enns said she wasn’t familiar enough with the redevelopment plans to comment on them, but agreed Aldergrove “could use a vision.”
“As a planner, I’m excited about community gathering spaces,” she said. “Places where people can walk to do their shopping, or get coffee or food. Places that you want to visit.”
But Long said economic conditions haven’t been kind to Aldergrove in the past.
“Three years ago, you couldn’t sell a townhouse in Aldergrove if your life depended on it,” said the councillor, who has lived in Aldergrove for about 30 years.
“There’s nothing council can do if the market isn’t there.”
Because discussions with the Janda Group have been ongoing for some time, Long said he wanted to let the public know a plan is in the works, although it won’t be ready until after the election.
“I didn’t want people to think we’d done nothing,” he said. “Aldergrove is a hidden gem and a sleeping princess. I don’t like to see this become a political football.”
While many of the details still need to be filled in, the sketches released by Long show five low-rise buildings with commercial space on the ground floor and residential units on top. Long said there would be underground parking, as well as surface parking.
A representative from Janda Group was not available to talk about the plan.
Former Township mayor Rick Green was also critical of the mall redevelopment, which he called a “top-down plan.”
When he was mayor, citizens helped draft a plan built around the idea of a walkable downtown, he said. “But plans are only as good as council’s willingness to follow them. We’re fighting for the redevelopment of Aldergrove, and it feels like council is just letting the economy take care of it.”
Green said the Township has spent millions of dollars to update Aldergrove’s infrastructure, including water and sewer lines, and a new water park, community pool and arena.
“That’s all in place. Now it’s about fighting for the right kind of development.”
If you look at land values and real estate prices, there’s no reason the community in the middle shouldn’t be growing too.