Fort Langley’s new look: how one building could change the town’s heritage vibes

Fort Langley is not all that old. 

The town itself has a long history as an early settlement on the Fraser River but many of the shops that line Glover Road selling jewelry, coffee, crystals, books or novelty mason jars aren’t actually old buildings. Instead, they were built in a particular style, largely since the 1960s—classic, vaguely-european, and old-looking—to preserve the town’s heritage theme.

What the town’s stylized heritage ought to look like, though, is a continuing debate—one that a new development on Glover Road is about to change forever.

A new building is planned for the heart of Fort Langley. Two shops next to the rainbow crosswalk and 50s diner on Glover Road are slated for demolition. In their place, A developer will build a sleek, glassy two-storey building in a more modern style than the surrounding shops. The building will have apartments on the upper floors and retail space on the bottom. In plans for the construction submitted to council, the building is simply labeled as “Cool Small Building.” 

Last month, Langley Township Council approved a heritage alteration permit, one of the steps required before a building permit can be issued for the location. 

But council was split over what Fort Langley should look like and how best to display the town’s heritage through the style of the buildings. While some said the heritage style should be maintained and buildings should match, other councilors maintained that more modern styles would contrast well with the rest of the street.

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