Langford, British Columbia
| Langford | ||
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| City | ||
| City of Langford | ||
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 Location of Langford in British Columbia |
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| Coordinates: 48°27′2″N 123°30′21″W / 48.45056°N 123.50583°WCoordinates: 48°27′2″N 123°30′21″W / 48.45056°N 123.50583°W | ||
| Country |
 Canada
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| Province |
 British Columbia
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| Region | Vancouver Island | |
| Regional district | Capital | |
| Founded | 1851 | |
| Incorporated | December 8, 1992 | |
| Government | ||
| • Governing body | Langford City Council | |
| • Mayor | Stewart Young | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 39.94 km2 (15.42 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 76 m (249 ft) | |
| Population (2016) | ||
| • Total | 35,342 | |
| • Density | 885/km2 (2,290/sq mi) | |
| Demonym(s) | Langfordite | |
| Time zone | PST (UTC−8) | |
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC−7) | |
| Postal code | V9B, V9C | |
| Area code(s) | 250, 236, 778 | |
| Highways | 1, 14 | |
| Waterways | Saanich Inlet | |
| Website | cityoflangford |
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Langford is a city located on southern Vancouver Island in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Langford is one of the 13 component municipalities of Greater Victoria and is within the Capital Regional District. Langford was incorporated in 1992 and has a population of over 34,000 people. Its municipal neighbours are Colwood to the southeast, Highlands to the north, Metchosin to the southwest, and View Royal to the northeast.
The City of Langford was officially incorporated on December 8, 1992. Langford boasts a long history of European settlement dating back to 1851, when Captain Edward Langford established one of the four Hudson's Bay Company farms in the Victoria area. In the early 1860s, the region of Langford experienced a short-lived gold rush in what is now Goldstream Provincial Park. The area was once a favourite recreation destination for thousands of Victorians in the late 1800s: day-trippers travelled via railway to the popular country resort Goldstream House Hotel; hunters built their lodges on the shores of the lakes near the mountains; and a summer colony of the well-to-do city folk relaxed and socialized at Langford Lake. In recent times, the region has become the fastest growing little city on Vancouver Island, with big retail stores and new residential developments, and the expanding suburban town of Langford became a city in 2003. The motto of Langford is “Golden in setting, determined in Spirit” containing a reference to the natural beauty of the City of Langford, specifically Goldstream Provincial Park, and a comment on the community's drive to enhance Langford's special character and future.
Langford is the fastest growing community in British Columbia attracting new residents from all over Greater Victoria, the Lower Mainland, and Alberta due to new housing developments; strong real estate market and affordability; desirable temperate climate with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters; ample amenities as the commercial centre of West Shore; and year-long recreational activities. Although the pace of development and some planning decisions (particularly "big-box" retail developments and aggressive suburban sprawl) have attracted criticism - some would argue the city is expanding too quickly at the expense of natural surroundings and existing infrastructure, and city council is too pro-development - the community continues to grow rapidly and attract residents. It is the largest municipality in the Western Communities, and third-largest in the Capital Regional District after Saanich and Victoria. Activities in Langford include shopping at the many retail stores at Millstream Village and Westshore Town Centre (formerly Canwest Mall) with its 55 stores and services including major department, grocery, and retail chain stores as well as a seven-screen Cineplex movie theatre. Many city parks are attractions in Langford including City Centre Park, with a family-friendly entertainment zone including a Family Fun Park, and Veterans Memorial Park located in the heart of downtown, and at the center a cenotaph commemorating the men and women of the Canadian Forces who have given their lives in the line of duty and where Langford holds its yearly Remembrance Day ceremony. Community events include many parades, seasonal Goldstream farmer's market, the Summer Festival, and Luxton Fair.Rugby Canada has its headquarters in Langford practicing at Westhills Stadium. A new $30 million YMCA/YWCA Aquatic Centre opened in May 2016, acclaimed by the mayor to be the "biggest project in the history of Langford", and features multiple pools, recreation facilities and a new library. Visitors can also participate in go-karting and mini-golfing, and watch stock-car racing and demolition derby at Western Speedway. Langford is home to world-class golf courses including Bear Mountain Resort on Skirt Mountain. The large community resort offers a system of mountain bike trails as the training centre for the Canadian National Mountain Bike Team and is currently planning the development of clay tennis courts for the national team and a professional disc golf course. There are many lakes in the area for fishing, swimming and non-motorized boating including Langford, Glen and Florence Lake. Langford is known for the many nature parks and network of trails popular with hikers and walkers alike including Mill Hill Park, Mount Wells, Thetis Lake Regional Park and the challenging high-elevation Mount Finlayson. Cyclists enjoy the picturesque multi-use Galloping Goose Trail, formerly a railway line, that moves through urban and rural parts of Langford and is used as a commuter trail to downtown Victoria taking only approximately 45 minutes on bicycle starting at Goldstream Village using the Wale Road connector (quicker than rush hour traffic). Goldstream Provincial Park is a large 477 ha (1,180 acres) nature reserve home to old-growth trees, waterfalls, estuaries and an education visitor centre Nature House offering many visitor activities such as camping, picnicking, hiking, and wildlife watching like eagle viewing during the annual salmon run.
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