Langley – There is a long standing love/hate relationship with the ALC. BC’s Agricultural Land Commission’s rules. Many business owners have expressed concerns over the years that the ALC just does not understand agri-tourism.
The 2022 Glow Langley event successfully brought the community together again, but the dynamics of the event changed substantially due to the new Agriculture Land Commission (ALC) regulations that were provided to the team, news arriving less than three months before opening night.
That put the kibosh of having events in a warm greenhouse during the December chill.
There is a statement on the Glow Langley website detailing the ALC rulings. Here is a link: ALC-based statmement-Dec 8, 2022.docx (glowgardens.com).
Most of the Glow Langley event had to be outdoors. Not only did the snow and cold provide huge challenges for the team and complaints from guests with little ones, but one of the main objectives of the show was lost with the show being hosted outdoors.
And poinsettias may be beautiful at Christmas, but they really don’t do well in the cold.
The same for visitors.
The team was not able to bring the usual natural greenhouse grown element to guests and showcase the farm realities of the Fraser Valley. Glow is not just a light show, which could be in any location, but instead a local farm showcasing its products in a grand fashion, a component making the event educational, unique, and even more fun. It differentiates it from any other light show, providing people with an inside look at a local farm, and its products, in the best possible conditions.
The snow and cold in Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley this season also provided challenges with some asking why they needed to be out in the cold for the festive experience with all the greenhouse space available around them.
Glow President Daryl Driegen was disappointed that they could not include plants in the displays and provide people with an appreciation for the effort and scale that it takes to bring locally grown products to market. They would have been proud to welcome guests into the unique facility and give them a taste of a local family farm.
Driegen spoke with FVN’s Don Lehn on the frustration with the ALR, the lost revenue and complaints from business and patrons alike. Also, similarities with the ALR rule challenges that many businesses face. That includes, what seems to be the on going drama that Chillwack’s Fantasy Farms faces.
