With more than 30 per cent of its population under the age of 15, the hamlet of Langdon has identified a need for indoor recreation opportunities within their district.
The Langdon Recreation Centre (LRC) group, formed in 2013, presented a feasibility study to Rocky View County (RVC) at their Policy & Priorities Committee (PPC) meeting on Nov. 4.
The study was conducted by aodbt architecture + interior design, and aimed to collect information from past studies, determine the immediate and imminent need for a recreation facility within Division 4 and compare this to what is currently available, and provide some guidance as to what could potentially be developed in the future in a financially sustainable manner.
According to the RVC 2013 census, Langdon’s population of 4,897 people makes up 74.4 per cent of Division 4, and accounts for one out of every 7.8 residents in the entire county.
Based on the federal census conducted in 2011, over 30 per cent of the hamlet’s rapidly growing population is under the age of 15.
Three recreation assessments have been conducted in the area since 2006 and all have indicated a strong need for an indoor facility, according to the feasibility study. Surveys done by the North Bow Community Facility Board in 2006, the Bow North Recreation District in 2009, and LRC themselves in 2013 all showed that Langdon residents are in need of an ice arena, fitness facility, and gymnasium, as well as an indoor field, library, and a running track.
The assessments also identified similar barriers to participation within the community - a lack of recreational facilities within the Division.
“A lot of people work in Calgary, and after they drive home for the day they don’t want to have to travel to do anything with their kids,” said LRC President Travis Tweit.
“We need to think about the future and what we are going to provide for our kids. Just because it wasn’t planned for in the past doesn’t mean we can’t move forward in the right direction.”
According to Tweit, the 500 households that responded to the 2013 survey said they would be willing to pay an average of $185 per year in additional taxes to cover the cost of the new facility, which, if they pursue the design option recommended in the study, would be approximately $11 million.
“We would start with the ice arena, because that is an in demand, current need, and we know it can be sustainable immediately,” said Tweit.
“Then we would phase in the fitness facility, meeting rooms, commercial space, child care, and museum wall. I think we have a real opportunity here.”
Area Councillor and President of the Langdon Recreation Committee Rolly Ashdown said that he would support any recreational advancement in this area, and in Langdon in particular.
“It is such a new community and has grown so fast that there is very little in the way of recreation facilities,” he said.
“I don’t think we’ve ever seen this many people from Langdon (at a PPC meeting) before, so obviously there is interest. I am sure any planning documents will support expanded recreation in Langdon.”
The proposed site for the facility is a greenfield site located in Langdon’s southwest, bordered by Centre Street South, Railway Avenue West, and agricultural land. This land’s strongest feature is the opportunity for partnership with Rocky View Schools, to create a community centre. According to Dari Lang, Recreation Services Coordinator with RVC, a request will be presented to council on Nov. 25 from the North Bow Community Facility Board for funding to prepare the land for development. Council will also see the new Recreation and Culture Master Plan presented for their consideration this fall, following a presentation to the PPC on Dec. 2.
