Hidden Gems: Discover a well-kept neighbourhood secret
Just off Walnut Grove Drive, and tucked in behind the community’s high school, Walnut Grove Community Park is nestled at the centre of its namesake neighbourhood.
The park – along with the school and the nearby Walnut Grove Community Centre – sits inside a loop of West Munday Creek, which means it is shaded along three sides by large trees that line the watercourse.
It has a plethora of playing fields, making it a magnet for youth and recreational sports teams – there are four ball diamonds, an artificial turf soccer field, an all-weather soccer field, batting cages, six tennis courts, and a changeroom, and meeting rooms. There’s a concession area for game days.
During the warm months a spray park is active, and there are two separate play structures for small children. Near those are the two sizable picnic areas and the shady areas are scattered with smaller picnic tables and benches.
Paths wind around the whole park for folks who are walking their dogs or going for a jog. Paths connect to nearby 91A Avenue, out to Walnut Grove Drive, and via the high school property, pedestrians can cross a bridge over the creek and reach 208 Street.
In addition to all that, there is a community garden that serves nearby residents who want to have space to grow some tomatoes, peas, or flowers, but don’t have any space at home because they live in a condo or townhouse.
Although the park is well-known to locals, it’s not that visible from the street, as it’s surrounded on most sides by trees. New arrivals in town will likely come to find it quickly, as it hosts innumerable youth sports events, picnics, club gatherings, and kids’ birthday parties.
The park is open dawn to dusk on most days of the year.
Historical Tidbits
• 1934:
The new West Langley Community Hall was opened on Alexander Road – what is now 208 Street in Walnut Grove.
• 1957:
A 10-year-old West Langley boy ran through a wall of fire to escape a burning root house, suffering second-degree burns to his face, ankle, and a hand. The fire started in a bottle of gasoline.
• 1968:
The first public school kindergarten in Langley was to open at West Langley Elementary, but construction delays meant it did not start with the fall opening of schools.
• 1975:
Langley Township council began land use discussions for a 155-acre industrial park north of what would soon be known as Walnut Grove.
• 1976:
The first West Langley Community Hall burns to the ground. It would soon be replaced by the structure that still sits there today
• 1978:
A West Langley Elementary student averted disaster when she spotted a fire in the school, allowing all 160 students and staff to evacuate safely. The fire was one of several in that area suspected to be the handiwork of an arsonist.
• 1992:
Walnut Grove Secondary School opened in May, a full eight months behind schedule thanks to delays during construction