About Fraser Valley, BC

Wordless (almost) Wednesday in Langley B.C. – We’re Nuts About the Coast Mountains!

The warm sunny weather we had last week has since given in to grey skies, and the coastal mountains appear to have received a recent dusting of snow – but at least it’s not raining! These filbert (hazelnut) trees really do have a great view!

Langley’s Thunderbird Horse Park – A Top Equestrian Venue in North America!

Huge kudo’s to Langley’s premier equestrian center – the family-owned Thunderbird Show Park. The North American Riders Group (NARG) named the Thunderbird Show Park as one of the TOP TWO facilities in North America. Congratulations also go to another Canadian facility, Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Alberta, which was named as the top venue!

The announcement was made at the NARG Annual Meeting on Tuesday in Wellington, Florida. In attendance to receive the honour was President and Tournament Director of Thunderbird, Jane Tidball, as well as Laura Tidball-Balisky, daughters of the founders George and Diane Tidball. Laura is a two-time Canadian Olympian in equestrian events.

Thunderbird Show Park will present two World Cup events during the 2012 show season, as well as four other major equestrian (hunter and jumper) tournaments. As Thunderbird Show Park moves into its 40^th year in Langley, this honour adds to the excitement of the anniversary celebration in 2013

If you are seeking an equestrian property in the "Horse Capital" of B.C. please give me a call. Langley has wonderful acreages and is exceedingly proud to be the home of Thunderbird Show Park!

Speechless (almost) Sunday in Langley BC – Can You See Me?

The sun is out and the plants are all getting ready for spring – and this little tree frog has been heralding the good weather!

Who would think such a little creature could produce such a loud noise (of course, if you have small children this is not a surprise to you…)

Good News for Langley School District – Grad Rates are UP!

The district achievement reports prepared by the Langley School Board have identified that School District #35 (the Langley School District) graduates 84% of its students. The report was released at Tuesday’s Board Meeting.

This is the third year in a row that Langley has exceeded the provincial graduation average of 81%. Langley’s 84% is the highest rate for the District in the past decade!

Female graduation rates are at 87.6% and male rates are close at 80.2% - both higher than the respective provincial averages.

In her presentation of the achievement reports on Dec 12, 2011, Superintendent of Schools, at the time, Cheryle Beaumont, indicated that 90% is the next target! Congratulations students, teachers, Board Members and staff – well done!

If you would like to move into an area of high educational achievement, please give me a call and I’d welcome finding you a home in School District #35!

What’s Filming This Week in “Hollywood North”?

As B.C. holds the enviable position of being the third largest center of production in North America, it’s not unusual to see a film crew in our area. Typically once or twice a week I run across productions shooting around Langley and Surrey. It’s always exciting to see your local community represented on film – and the economic benefits of these productions shooting around town are substantial.

The British Columbia Film Commission provides a list of all feature films and television productions filming in B.C. Here are a few of the TV shows you may be watching that feature our local color:

· Once Upon a Time

· Fringe

· Alcatraz

· Supernatural

· The Killing

· Fairly Legal

I love seeing references to local places on these shows. Sunday night’s episode of Once Upon a Time listed an address on “Old Yale Road” and last week’s Alcatraz (or was it Fringe?) mentioned the “Hilltop Cafe” – both well-known filming locations (X-Files and Smallville often featured the Hilltop Cafe Diner). And our Fort Langley Community Center often is a stand-in for “Everycity” Town Hall – I’ll bet you’ve seen it...

Searching for a home in “Hollywood North”? Just give me a call – I guarantee the star treatment for all my clients!