Dear Editor,
The loss of Fort pool is about more than swimming.
Last week, Township of Langley council voted to remove Fort Langley’s outdoor swimming pool in spite of significant opposition from residents in the area.
Like many other parents, all the way back to the ’60s, I watched my kids learn how to swim at that pool. Later, they rode their bikes or walked to enjoy some freedom and a chance to stay cool in the summer.
The pool was a big piece of childhood in Fort Langley and probably the only public amenity, beyond our small library, available for young people.
The Township ran a public consultation on the fate of the pool. Of the 983 responses, 78 per cent wanted the pool to remain. Delegations appeared before council, and a petition with nearly 4,000 signatures was presented.
Why on earth did council consult with residents only to ignore the results and the clear wishes of an overwhelming majority? Instead, the decision was made to install an unwanted one-million-dollar spray park that will serve only a small slice of the population.
Residents aren’t asking for something new. We would simply like council to respect the will of the people and ensure that North Langley doesn’t lose its only outdoor swimming pool.
Darin Young, Fort Langley
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• READ MORE: Closed pool to become a spray park
• LETTER: Please consider restoring or replacing pool
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