As the population of the West Shore continues to increase, so too does the areaB次元官网网址檚 population of seniors. That demographic is in luck, though, as Langford has been named one of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 most age-friendly communities, thanks in part to the cityB次元官网网址檚 new Age-Friendly Action Plan.
Plan co-ordinator Leah Stohmann, LangfordB次元官网网址檚 deputy director of planning, says it was an opportunity for the city to continue its goal of becoming a B次元官网网址渃omplete community.B次元官网网址�
Seeing an opportunity for grant money to study how to better serve area seniors, the city jumped on it, Stohmann says.
B次元官网网址淟angfordB次元官网网址檚 very well known for its family-oriented amenities,B次元官网网址� Stohmann says, B次元官网网址渟o this was an opportunity to say, B次元官网网址榟ey, how are we doing in regards to seniors? Are there ways that we could improve their ability to stay in our community? ItB次元官网网址檚 very important that Langford becomes a complete community for all its residents. Not just for young families, but for older people as well, and give that opportunity for people to have their needs met throughout their entire lives.B次元官网网址�
Through a series of open houses, surveys and focus groups, the city conducted a needs assessment, wrote an action plan full of recommendations on potential improvements, and brought it to council for implementation.
The study is broken down into eight categories such as outdoor spaces, transportation and civic participation, highlighting gaps and barriers, projects underway that help address those, and what more can be done moving forward. These diverse topics were valuable to look at individually, rather than in a general, B次元官网网址渨hat are we doing well, and what are we not?B次元官网网址� kind of way, because there are strengths and weaknesses within each category that should be acknowledged and addressed.
Stohmann says the city has more control over some improvements than others, but all of these aspects can be aided by forethought and planning. The city has very little control over the number of health services available in the community, but they can ensure that everywhere is zoned so that one of those services could move in if they wanted, for example.
Council has already adopted four main recommendations from the plan. Two of those are in the area of housing, where council has reduced amenity contributions for affordable and seniorsB次元官网网址� housing complexes as well as the application fees for rezoning when itB次元官网网址檚 for developments designed to help in those areas.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e doing what we can do to encourage new seniorsB次元官网网址� projects to come into Langford,B次元官网网址� Stohmann says, B次元官网网址減articularly in the downtown area, because thatB次元官网网址檚 where thereB次元官网网址檚 the easiest access to the amenities they need. You want them where they can get to the things they need very easily.B次元官网网址�
They have also developed Danbrook Park as an off-leash park area, B次元官网网址渂ecause we were hearing that people wanted more places in the city they could take their dogs,B次元官网网址� Stohmann says.
The action plan also helped council make the decision to allow the expansion of the , adding a Wednesday night market to their offerings during the summer months.
Council adopted the Age Friendly Action Plan as policy this past January, and can now make decisions based on the recommendations it contains.
B次元官网网址淲e can now keep those recommendations in mind as we develop our budgets for infrastructure improvements, apply for grants to increase bike lanes, and improve multi-use trails within the community, that sort of thing,B次元官网网址� Stohmann says.
B次元官网网址淚t helps support those types of initiatives and then as we look at policy updates and rezoning applications and things like that, we can try to further some of the recommendations and goals and comments that came out of the plan.B次元官网网址�
To check out the Age Friendly Action Plan, pick up a copy at City Hall or .
