LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Last updated at 9:49 AM on 07/05/09

Let's not 'pave paradise'; keep the farm green print this article
OPINION
DOUG MACDONALD

Re the Mi'kmaq Confederacy proposed master plan for the Charlottetown agricultural research farm. In the May 4 edition of The Guardian, Jeff Brant of the Confederacy was quoted as saying "you'd hope that in today's day and age, racial problems aren't an issue." This upsets me greatly. In making that statement, it is Mr. Brant who has introduced the race issue. And in doing so, he shows he does not appear to fully appreciate the main issue here.

It has never been about race, but always about development. The public is opposed to development on this site. People want to see it remain as public green space in the heart of the city for the use of everyone in the province. I am one of more than 5,000 people who have signed a petition to that effect.

I attended the presentation of the development proposal last week. While impressed by how much had gone into preparing the presentation, I was shocked to see how much development was planned for the farm property if turned over to this group. The concept of a Veterans Memorial Park, preservation of the Royal Forest, restored fruit orchard, and indigenous medicine plantings are commendable. But all of this is overshadowed by:

- a new road off University Avenue to an office complex with resultant parking;

- a road off Belvedere Avenue running through the heart of the farm almost to the Lily Pond;

- acres of farm land to be developed into three-storey high-density housing along Belvedere from Mt. Edward, almost two-thirds of the way to the rails-for-trails path;

- a future UPEI sports facility;

- an arts and leadership complex;

- an assisted living seniors housing complex;

- and by their count, some 470 paved parking spaces plus connecting roadways.

This proposal reminded me so much of Joni Mitchell's lament in Big Yellow Taxi where they "paved paradise and put up a parking lot."

The people of Charlottetown, and indeed P.E.I., have only one chance to get this right. If any of it is allowed to be commercially developed, it will be irreversible. Let's show some foresight, as our forefathers did in planning for parks in the old downtown core of the city. Other than a few playgrounds, there is no parkland north of Euston Street. Moncton has Centennial Park in the heart of the city. Halifax, Saint John and Fredericton have beautiful, unspoiled parks. Our federal, provincial and municipal representatives must not allow this golden opportunity to slip away.

One way to do this would be to declare it a national historic site under Parks Canada, as 'Ardgowan', across Mount Edward Road from the farm, now is.

The farm was one of the original Dominion Experimental Farms created 100 years ago this year. Hon. James C. Pope, premier of P.E.I. at the time the province entered Canadian Confederation in 1873, and younger brother of Father of Confederation William H. Pope who lived at 'Ardgowan', lived in 'Ravenwood', the beautiful old home on the farm property. Various members of the Royal Family have planted trees on this property over the decades.

It is not about race. Keep it public, and keep it green. We must not allow paradise to be paved for the sake of a parking lot.

Douglas B. MacDonald of Charlottetown is an engineering technologist retired from Foreign Affairs Canada where he was involved in the planning and construction of embassies and ambassadors' residences around the world.
07/05/09