Langdon’s Streetscape to Undergo $310,000 Beautification

In a move set to enhance the visual appeal of Langdon’s main thoroughfare, Rocky View County (RVC) Council has sanctioned a $310,000 expenditure from the County’s Road Program Reserve for landscaping improvements along Centre Street. This decision marks a significant investment in the beautification and environmental enhancement of the area adjacent to Chestermere.
The approved funding follows a detailed presentation by the County administration, which offered two landscaping upgrade options for the stretch of road between Anderson Avenue and Third Avenue in Langdon. The council’s choice, Option One, aligns with the administration’s recommendation and focuses on a blend of practical and aesthetic enhancements. This plan includes the planting of ornamental reed grass and the installation of short paved sections at curb corners to ensure clear driving sightlines. Additionally, it involves the reconstruction of two dry ponds along Langdon Park with a rock-armoured dry creek bed at the base and upper slopes, which will then be seeded with a wildflower mix and supplemented with ornamental reed grass plantings.
Option Two, priced at $505,000, proposed replacing the soft-scaping along the boulevard with hard-scape planters, but was ultimately not selected. Division 7 Councillor Al Schule, Langdon’s representative on the council, advocated strongly for the chosen option, highlighting the ongoing landscaping challenges along Centre Street and expressing confidence in the benefits of the $310,000 investment. “This has been going on for three years now,” Schule remarked, emphasizing the community’s past achievements and his belief in the positive impact of the approved plan.
Landscaping along Centre Street has faced difficulties since the area underwent roadway expansion renovations in 2020. The report to the council outlined the struggle to establish grass along this section, attributing the challenge to the soil’s high clay content mixed with gravel and salt. Although efforts in the summer of 2023 to improve conditions with imported topsoil and seeding saw some success, officials note that achieving full grass coverage may be a slow process, potentially taking several years.
Byron Riemann, RVC’s Director of Operations, shared that annual landscaping expenditures for this specific section of Centre Street range between $20,000 and $30,000. Jeanette Lee, manager of the County’s engineering services, assured that maintenance cost differences between the two options would be minimal. With $1.8 million currently in the County’s Road Program Reserve, earmarked for road-related projects, the funding for this initiative is well within budgetary capabilities.
The decision faced minor opposition from Division 2 Councillor and Deputy Reeve Don Kochan, who suggested that business associations could contribute to higher-cost options. However, Schule countered by pointing out that the area in question is predominantly residential.
This landscaping project represents a forward step in enhancing Langdon’s Centre Street, contributing not only to the aesthetic value of the community but also to the overall quality of life for its residents and the neighboring city of Chestermere. The initiative underscores Rocky View County’s commitment to maintaining and improving its public spaces, fostering a sense of pride and community engagement among its citizens.