On Monday, Dec. 27, Langley set a new record low temperature, with Environment Canada reporting minus 15.6 degrees Celsius, beating the previous record of minus 15.0 set in 1968, well below the average low of minus 0.8.
It warned an arctic outflow of winds and low temperatures would produce wind chill values near or below minus 20 for much of the week.
After the warning was issued, on Sunday in Langley City, a temporary extreme weather shelter was opened at the Douglas Park Community School, with room for 42 people.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Extreme weather shelter for homeless opens in Langley City
Langley Vineyard Church Pastor Leith White, the designated community representative at the shelter, said it was the first time a temporary extreme weather facility has been open 24 hours a day.
White called the support for the shelter “awesome” and “incredible.”
It was the result of several different community groups coming together, a “thankful” Kimz Angels founder Kim Snow explained.
“We have an amazing community,” Snow commented.
Snow said there should be a permanent 24-7 shelter for homeless people, and a cooling centre in the summer.
Hot meals were being served by the Guru Nanak Food Bank in Surrey, prepared at the Dukh Nivaran Sahib Gurdwara.
Food bank founding member and secretary Jay Minhas said he was contacted by Manjit Gill in Fort Langley.
“She told us there was a [shelter at a] gymnasium and they needed a good, hot meal,” Minhas said.
“We are only 25 minutes from here. We don’t want anyone hungry.”
READ ALSO: Manjit Gill named Langley’s H.D. Stafford Citizen of the Year
Gill, a well-known philanthropist and volunteer, who was named the H.D. Stafford Good Citizen of the Year on Dec. 14, said she and Minhas used to work together at Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS).
She praised the food bank for their willingness to help people in need, no matter where they are located.
“They have no borders,” Gill explained.
Shaun Heaps, organizer of a volunteer airlift of emergency supplies from the Langley airport to flood-ravaged communities, dropped off water, blankets, and pillows.
“We have a bunch of stuff,” Heaps explained, ” so we decided to donate. If you need anything, let us know.”
Elsewhere in Langley, dozens of children and parents were taking advantage of the winter weather to go sledding on the slope near the George Preston recreation centre, while over at Dale Ball Passive Park, skaters took to the freshly frozen ice.
Brookswood resident Matthew Stewart and some friends carved out a couple of hockey rink spaces on Monday.
“We’ve been here since the first thing morning,” Stewart said.
“We came out right away, we claimed our spot and we got a rink.”
Have a story tip? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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