The Langley Events Centre opened its doors in April 2009, with the BC Gymnastics Championships as its inaugural event. A complex built “exclusively from materials native to British Columbia”, showcasing massive timber beams and glulam wood accents that gave the building a West Coast character.
In the mid-2000s, Langley was a growing community dreaming of a place to gather, play, and celebrate. That dream took shape on December 18, 2006, when plans were unveiled for a $45 million multi-use events facility – the largest sports and recreation project in Langley’s history. It was an ambitious vision: a 322,000+ square foot complex built “exclusively from materials native to British Columbia”, showcasing massive timber beams and glulam wood accents that gave the building a distinct West Coast character. After over two years of construction, the vision became reality. The Langley Events Centre (LEC) opened its doors in April 2009, with the 2009 BC Gymnastics Championships as its inaugural event. For local residents, stepping into the completed arena for the first time felt like stepping into the future of Langley – a future where their town had its own world-class venue.
From the outset, the LEC was more than just an arena; it was a community dream come true. Local government, provincial supporters, and private partners had come together to fund the project’s $56 million price tag, all sharing a common goal: to create a central hub for sports and culture in Langley. The facility’s design included not only a 5,276-seat arena bowl for hockey and concerts, but also a triple gymnasium, fieldhouse, fitness centre, community rooms, and even an indoor walking track. “We wanted a place where families could watch a game, athletes could chase their dreams, and the community could come together under one roof,” recalls one local official in early press interviews. The natural wood beams soaring above the entrances symbolized both Langley’s rustic heritage and its bold new aspirations. In those early days of 2009, many visitors gazing around the brand-new concourses felt a swell of local pride – the LEC was their arena, built for Langley by Langley.
Over the years, the LEC’s rafters have shaken with the cheers of fans witnessing unforgettable sports moments. Perhaps the biggest game-changer for the arena came in 2016, when the Vancouver Giants, a major junior hockey team, made LEC their new home. The Giants had previously played in Vancouver, but upon relocating, they brought an unprecedented level of excitement to Langley’s sports scene. “The Township of Langley is a hockey town... we are thrilled that the Giants are making the Langley Events Centre their new home,” declared Township Mayor Jack Froese, anticipating “sell-out crowds cheering them on.”
Indeed, the Giants’ arrival meant local fans could finally experience Western Hockey League action in their own backyard. Many still remember the electric atmosphere of the Giants’ very first regular-season home game in the fall of 2016 – the buzz in the lobby, the sea of team jerseys in the stands, and the roar that erupted after the first Giants goal on home ice. It was a new chapter in Langley sports history, and it felt like the whole community was in on it.
The Giants era at LEC has produced its share of highlights. In one 2020 game, the team treated hometown fans to a record-setting offensive explosion, scoring 12 goals – the most in franchise history – in a single home game. Seventeen Giants players earned points that night, leaving the crowd in a state of jubilation as the scoreboard hit 12–4. Longtime supporters still talk about that evening, describing how “the goals just kept coming” and how the crowd was on its feet for nearly every one of those dozen celebrations. Championship pursuits have also graced the LEC; for instance, the arena hosted games during the Giants’ thrilling 2019 playoff run, where they came within one goal of a WHL championship, forging memories (and a few nail-biting overtime moments) that fans will cherish for years.
Hockey is only part of the LEC sports legacy. The centre has welcomed a variety of teams and sports since its opening. In 2013, professional lacrosse arrived when the Washington Stealth of the National Lacrosse League relocated and became the Vancouver Stealth, playing at LEC from 2014 through 2018. Lacrosse fans in the Fraser Valley embraced having an NLL team in town, and the arena thundered with chants during intense Champions Cup playoff games. (In fact, the LEC even hosted the NLL Champions Cup Final in 2013, showing that even before the Stealth officially moved in, the venue was capable of staging top-tier lacrosse events.) The Stealth years gave way to the birth of the Vancouver Warriors (after the franchise was sold and moved downtown), but many Langley lacrosse aficionados fondly recall the thrill of those pro games – the fast breaks, the blaring goal horn, and kids lining up for autographs afterwards. The LEC also became home to local lacrosse heroes: the Langley Thunder, the town’s own senior A lacrosse team, have played there since 2009 and even hosted the Mann Cup (Canada’s national lacrosse championship) in 2011, bringing the nation’s lacrosse spotlight to Langley.
Basketball and volleyball have likewise left their mark. The arena’s hardwood courts have seen the Trinity Western University Spartans capture Canadian university championships, and each March the LEC transforms into a hive of bouncing balls and school spirit for the BC High School Basketball Provincial Championships. Starting in 2011, the province’s top boys’ and girls’ teams converge on Langley every year, meaning generations of young athletes have experienced the thrill of a packed championship game in this facility. Many local families have a cherished memory of those tournaments – whether it’s a daughter hitting a clutch three-pointer or a son cutting down the net after a title win. By hosting events like the BC provincials, as well as national tournaments (such as the Canadian men’s college basketball nationals in 2019), the LEC cemented its reputation as a cradle of sports champions.
Perhaps nothing sums up LEC’s sports legacy better than the diversity of its events. In one calendar year, the venue might host a Giants hockey playoff series, a World Indoor Lacrosse Championship with teams from across the globe, and a Canadian volleyball championship – all in quick succession. Even international curling made a stop here, when the World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling came to Langley in 2012, treating local fans to a rare chance to see world-famous curlers in action. Through all these milestones, the common thread is that Langley residents didn’t have to travel to Vancouver or elsewhere to witness big moments – the big moments came to Langley. The LEC turned the township into a bona fide sports hub, where on any given night you might witness the next sports fairy tale unfolding on home turf.
Beyond the slam dunks and slapshots, the Langley Events Centre has always been a true community gathering place – a cavernous but welcoming space that has hosted the heartbeats of local life. One of the most unforgettable community moments came during the lead-up to the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. On a cold February evening in 2010, thousands of residents packed the LEC grounds for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration: the Olympic Torch Relay was passing through Langley. The music was blaring and the crowd was rocking as the flame approached the stage at LEC. Paralympic gold medalist Lauren Barwick carried the torch on the final leg into the centre, the fiery symbol attached to her wheelchair as she made her way toward a waiting cauldron. “It brings it all home… to be at home in front of all your supporters,” Barwick told the cheering sea of people. Many in the audience had tears in their eyes as she lit the community cauldron, a moment that transformed the new arena into hallowed ground for local pride and unity. “All I could hear was people cheering. I couldn’t stop smiling,” Barwick later said of that night, describing the energy in the LEC as “phenomenal”. To this day, those who were there recall the wave of patriotism and togetherness that swept over the crowd – an experience that made the big building feel surprisingly intimate and profoundly human.
The LEC has proven its versatility by hosting a wide array of non-sporting events that hold special meaning for the community. Concerts, for example, have often filled the arena with music and memories. Throughout the 2010s, local families looked forward to the annual “Basics for Babies” Country Music Festival held at the centre – a charity concert presented by a Vancouver country radio station that combined great music with a great cause. It wasn’t uncommon to see the arena floor transformed into a concert hall, with dads hoisting kids onto their shoulders as Canadian country stars strummed guitars on the LEC stage. Whether it was rock, country, or even a traveling ice show (the Holiday Festival on Ice in 2012 brought figure skating legends gliding into town, the Events Centre’s walls have resonated with more than just sporting cheers – they’ve echoed with music, laughter, and sometimes the happy tears that come from hearing a nostalgic song live.
For many local families, the LEC is intertwined with personal milestones. Take high school graduations – over the past decade, countless Langley students have walked across the LEC stage in cap and gown to receive their diplomas. The arena’s large capacity and professional setup make it an ideal venue for commencement ceremonies. R.E. Mountain Secondary, the high school just up the hill, now holds its convocation at LEC each June, meaning proud parents fill the same seats for grad night that they might for a hockey game later in the year. “It was amazing to graduate in such a big arena – it made it feel extra special,” recalls one former student, who still smiles recalling the booming applause from the stands as the Class of 2015 tossed their caps. Trinity Western University has also utilized the Events Centre for its ceremonies, including its largest-ever graduating class in 2023 (over 1,000 students) crossing the LEC stage to jubilant cheers. From preschool dance recitals to trade shows and community fundraisers, the centre has become the go-to locale for bringing people together.
One of the most vibrant annual gatherings in recent years has been the stɑl’əw̓ Pow Wow, a multi-day Indigenous cultural celebration hosted at the LEC. During the pow wow weekends, the arena floor blossoms into a colorful tapestry of traditional regalia as hundreds of dancers, drummers, and singers from across B.C., Alberta, and the U.S. fill the Events Centre with music and movement. The air is alive with the pulse of the drums as families and spectators of all backgrounds come to appreciate and honor First Nations culture. “Everything seems really positive… we have dancers and drum groups coming from all over,” noted one organizer about the pow wow’s success in drawing participants from near and far. For Langley, hosting this event has been an honor – it’s an opportunity for community learning and reconciliation, and it underscores the LEC’s role as a true gathering place for everyone, not just sports fans. Whether it’s an arts and crafts fair, a political town hall, a church service, or a raucous New Year’s Eve festival, the Langley Events Centre has opened its doors to celebrate the full spectrum of community life.
Looking back on the years since 2009, it’s clear that the Langley Events Centre has done more than host events – it has helped shape Langley’s identity. Once seen as a quiet suburban area on the edge of Metro Vancouver, Langley has stepped into a brighter spotlight, thanks in large part to the LEC. The centre gave the township a home arena for high-profile teams like the WHL Giants and NLL Stealth, instantly putting Langley on the map in Western Canada’s sports scene. No longer would Langley residents be outsiders to big events; with the LEC, they became proud hosts. This pride has spilled over into the broader community. Local youth have grown up believing that “big things can happen in our town” – a powerful sentiment for a place once considered a distant suburb.
The LEC’s presence also catalyzed growth in the surrounding Willoughby area. Over time, new restaurants, shops, and hotels sprang up nearby to cater to event-goers. The once-rural 200th Street corridor transformed into a vibrant hub of activity, mirroring the buzz inside the arena. In recent years, Langley Township has even envisioned an entire “events and entertainment district” around the LEC, with transit links and urban village amenities. A new pro soccer stadium for the Canadian Premier League’s Vancouver FC was built adjacent to the Events Centre in 2023, further solidifying the complex as a sports destination. Plans are underway for a massive expansion adding multiple new ice rinks and dry-floor arenas to the site, aiming to make Langley a premier tournament and training venue for decades to come. It’s a vision of the future in which the LEC remains the beating heart of a lively district – the very outcome its founders hoped for when they broke ground all those years ago.
Nostalgia runs deep when locals talk about the LEC, because it’s tied to so many stories: the first time a child saw their sports hero up close, the times neighbors high-fived each other after a big win, or the evenings families spent under its bright lights forging lifelong memories. It’s the laughter echoing from the concourse during intermission, the smell of popcorn mixed with anticipation before a concert encore, and the sight of young kids playing road hockey outside, dreaming of one day playing on the inside. In the span of a decade and a half, the Langley Events Centre has become part of the fabric of Langley. As one long-time resident put it, “We used to have to drive into Vancouver for everything. Now, we have our own place – the place – right here.” The LEC embodies how far the community has come. It stands as a proud symbol of Langley’s growth from a small township to a vibrant suburban hub, brimming with community spirit.
In the years to come, there’s no doubt the Langley Events Centre will continue making history and hosting moments of joy and triumph. But even as it evolves, the legacy of its first decade-plus endures. It’s remembered in the cheers, the songs, the speeches, and the celebrations that have filled its spaces. The LEC is not just an events venue – it’s a memory machine for Langley, a place where the past, present, and future of the community converge. And as any Langley local who’s been there can attest, every time you walk through those doors, you can’t help but feel a little surge of hometown pride, remembering all the milestones that have unfolded inside. The Langley Events Centre is, and will remain, the heart of Langley’s collective memories – a place where the community has come together time and again to cheer, to celebrate, and to feel that unmistakable sense of belonging.
Sources: The historical and factual information in this article has been referenced from local news archives, the Langley Events Centre’s official records, and community accounts. Key details about the LEC’s opening and features are documented in Wikipedia, while local newspapers like the Langley Advance Times have captured the centre’s milestones and community events – from the 2010 Olympic torch relay to recent cultural gatherings like the stɑl’əw̓ Pow Wow. Sports highlights, including the arrival of the Vancouver Giants and record-breaking games, are corroborated by team press releases and news reports. These sources collectively paint a picture of the LEC’s rich history and its beloved place in Langley’s heart.
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