Langford neighbourhood celebrates opening of new playground, community garden

City officials and neighbours celebrated the opening of a new park in Langford Tuesday.

City officials and neighbours are celebrating the opening of a new Langford park that’s been generating excitement among students at Ruth King Elementary School.

“It’s really fun and it’s amazing,” says kindergartener Benly.

“I play so much,” says another classmate named Amrit.

Porcher Park has been built at the end of a cul-de-sac on Wren Place. It features a playground surrounded by tall trees, wooden bench seating and space for community gardens.

“There’s this reverence that I feel when I’m here,” says Langford resident and parent Kelly James-Beck. “This calmness, this serenity, this feel-good energy … My favourite part about this park is the accessible pieces. We really need to create environments where everyone is welcome.”

Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson and members of his council held a ceremonial tree planting to mark the park’s official opening on Earth Day.

“I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has contributed to this project,” Goodmanson tells a crowd. “From the volunteers who worked tirelessly to restore the park to the members of the Urban Food Resiliency Initiative Society who will manage the community garden: Your efforts have made this vision a reality.”

The society plans to install 30 community garden beds over the next two weeks. Due to demand, the society’s executive lead says the group will be running a lottery system to choose the eventual winners of a plot – ideally at an event that’s being planned for May 10.

“About 100 people have asked to be gardening here already,” says Mary Brooke. “They all have to be Langford residents. And so we have decided that’s really the only fair way … We don’t want to do first come, first served because some people heard about it last year, some people just now.”

Brooke says the garden plots will not only help people grow food for home, but also serves hobby-based demands in the rapidly growing city.

“People are telling us that they’re moving from larger homes where they used to have a garden and the opportunity to grow their own food and now they can’t do that anymore. And even when I get the email, I can feel a sense of loss about that,” says Brooke.

For people who don’t need to keep the food they grow, there will be options for community donations.

Anyone interested in the initiative can visit the society’s website.