Christmas has come early for Langford’s furry four-legged friends thanks to a “paw-sitive collaboration” between the City of Langford and Walmart Canada.
Half an acre of previously unused land, adjacent to the superstore on Langford Parkway, has been repurposed as an off-leash dog area.
“This ... not only allows our furry friends to run around freely, but also provides dog owners the opportunity to meet new friends and connect with each other, fostering a sense of community spirit that reflects the values of Langford,” said Mayor Scott Goodmanson at the official opening of the dog park on Tuesday (Dec. 10).
The new dog park is a first for Walmart Canada, said Julie Chahal, senior director, market manager for the retail giant, who noted the store's continuous efforts to find ways to give back to the community, including donating 44,000 pounds of "safe surplus food" in 2023.
Putting the new space through its paces were a pack of Langford canines, including three-year-old Honeybun, accompanied by her owner Coun. Lillian Szpak.
“Honeybun loves it,” said Szpak, who praised the creative idea to utilize the space. “Especially with the densification we have in Langford. We really need to be putting more of these kinds of spaces in place … look at how nice and open it is.”
Also wagging with excitement about the new park was Coun. Mary Wagner, who said residents have been crying out for more green space to walk their dogs.
“I live in the city centre as well and there's so many people moving here with so many dogs,” she said.
According to Coun. Colby Harder, the new dog park is a step forward for the city to meet the “dire need” for parks in Langford’s downtown core.
The councillor said over the next 15 years the city will need to increase its downtown park space by a minimum of 50 per cent to keep up with population growth.
“It's not going to be easy, land values are rising, but I think through creative collaboration and community partnerships like this, we'll be able to achieve that goal,” she said.
The new off-leash dog park is located next to Walmart at 860 Langford Pkwy.
