Change can be scary, but it doesn't need to be, said Mayor of Langford Scott Goodmanson at the launch of 'Let's Plan Langford. Together' launch at Ruth King Elementary School on Thursday, July 18. 

'Change is okay. Change is not good or bad. It is just change," Goodmanson said.

A range of plans, including the Official Community Plan (OCP) refresh, the transportation master plan, the active transportation plan, a parks master plan, an arts and culture plan and a climate action plan were unveiled with community members asked to provide feedback.

It won't happen all at once, though, as the Langford council is aware that doing too much at once can lead to a feeling of burnout among Langford residents, Goodmanson said.

"All these plans we have listed are what is needed," Goodmanson said.

Langford councillor Keith Yachuca said it is not just a group of councillors circling pet projects and asking the community to get behind them no matter what.

"We want to make sure that this engagement that was going on went to everybody. People who aren't normally engaging," he said.

Despite some of the plans having similar names, such as the transportation master plan and the active transportation plan, these are needed to plan Langford's future.

"The transportation (master) plan is about how we move vehicles, but more than that, it is about how we move goods and services. That's for the economic side of things," he said.

The Active Transportation Plan is all about giving people options for moving around the city. If it is raining, people can choose to drive, or if it is a sunny day and people feel like walking, they can do that, too. 

Langford's fast development saw the city go from being called 'the dogpatch' where logging trucks would 'whip up' Goldstream Avenue to a city of nearly 49,000 people over almost 30 years.

Lena Stohmann, Langford's director of community planning and climate change, said at the event that the city is predicted to grow to 100,000 in the next few decades, and these plans are essential to helping the city grow.

"This feedback will help shape draft OCP policies relating to land use, growth management, parks, amenities, housing, transportation and more," Stohlman said.

Local artist Jeanine Chipps, who created the new Indigenous and Pride-inspired banners around the city core, said that she was really looking forward to the arts and culture master plan.

"I'm just thrilled to hear about the amazing education opportunities being announced today," Chipps said. "Seeing art as well as local artists become a larger, more important of them community is something that continues to make me excited."

Despite the sunny weather and the opportunity to help plan the future, some in the crowd were less impressed with what the city had planned, said Langford resident Ren Louie, who opposes the current plan by the council.

"It is nothing they haven't said before," Louie said.

The plans by the City of Langford might not appeal to everyone. "And that is okay," said Goodmanson. "That is why we want to have this opportunity to be able to reach out to as many people as we can in as many different forms and many different ways. Not just the loudest people."