The Langley Main Street Association is taking the lead on making improvements to Langley Park.

The park, located on Second Street and Anthes Avenue, has been neglected for about one year since the city’s contract for maintenance of the park ended in September, 2016. Janet Ploof and Val Easton of the Langley Main Street Association asked the Langley City Council on Aug. 21 if the association could take over maintenance of the park and use $4,800 that was budgeted for its rehabilitation. The city council approved the request, also earmarking funds for future maintenance.

“We want to bring it back to its former glory,” Ploof said of the park that was gifted to the city by Nancy Nordoff years ago.

Easton added that plants have grown too large and obscured the lines of sight. Her goal for the park is to make it “feel comfortable” for people to enjoy as a place to picnic, meet friends, hang out and to pause and rest.

“I just want to restore it to the original vision and make it much more welcoming for people,” Easton said.

The park has a year-round palette of plants, some of which are chosen to attract birds and butterflies while others are for fall color, winter fragrant and summer foliage. The plants include a native flowering currant, a box leaf azara, Persian ironwood and rough leaf hydrangea. There are also ferns, ground covers, fragrant witch hazel and a viburnum loaded with berries, specifically purposed for attracting birds.

Main street intern Emily Martin, who has a horticulture degree from Oregon State University, will do the bulk of repairs.

“Part of the reason I took it was because I spent so much time here when I was a little kid after school,” Martin said. “I brought ice cream here and took the dogs here.”

“I’m hoping to help bring it back to where kids can enjoy it and people would want to bring families here again,” she added.

Martin said her work will include pruning and clearing out overgrown plants so “there’s good visibility throughout the park. Ultimately, Martin believes that by making the park look and feel groomed, it will attract visitors.

“People don’t really want to come into areas that look like no one cares about them,” Martin said.