Langley Township mayor and council recently approved a precursor to the Janda Group’s multi-million dollar project planned for the downtown core.
At a recent public meeting, news came that redevelopment of the old mall into a new “Aldergrove Town Centre” is to begin with retrofitting the Vineyard Church this month.
Formerly used as an Elks hall, the church – which now operates at 27309 Fraser Hwy. with the food bank – leases the building from the Janda Group of realtors and developers.
Aldergrove contractors ICE Development Ltd. applied, on behalf of Janda, for a three-year permit to use the hall as a sales centre.
Mayor and council approved on April 20.
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Janda’s marketing and sales team will showcase town centre residences out of the space, according to spokesperson Nicole Magnusson.
“Renovations will start within the next month,” Magnusson shared, on behalf of the Janda Group.
The food bank building will now be renovated and retrofitted with a storefront window, double doors, and a fresh coat of paint.
The change will see both the Vineyard Church and food bank move operations to Countryside Shopping Centre, just down the road – another Janda property.
“We want to [see the tenants relocate] as respectfully as possible,” Magnusson added.
The first phase of its town centre plans include three, six-storey buildings with condos above and commercial space on the bottom floor – approved by council in late February.
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Director Sonny Janda said he offered the church another one of its rental units last year, in light of his plans to utilize the hall.
“I was shown the unit,” van Zuuk said, “It’s a lot more space. It means we will need to build our own shelving” for food donations.
Both the church and the food bank have agreed to make the move within a few weeks.
Food bank manager Mary van Zuuk said, although re-homing will be a lot of work – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when families are dependent upon its weekly provisions – the end result will be beneficial.
“We will have our own space,” van Zuuk beamed.
READ MORE: Aldergrove Food Bank still lending a helping hand during COVID-19 pandemic
She’s noticed markings on a cement alleyway adjacent to the old mall, ones that tell of Janda Groups’ steps towards proposed revitalization of the town core.
“They must be starting that soon,” she added.
As it stands, the food bank shares storage space, for its inventory of food donations, with the church.
The food bank will, in the next few weeks, relocate to a northern unit of the shopping complex in the 27500-block of Fraser Highway.
The church will moving to digs in an eastern unit of the mall, van Zuuk said.
