One of the major costs of developer-controlled development is a lack of appropriate greenspace whether because of loss of the space due to development or failure to include it in city planning. Few developers have ever chosen to give over land to build a park!
The evidence that greenspace is needed for a healthy city has become overwhelming.
As we write this we are faced with the planned loss of over 40 acres of parkland from the appropriation of part of the Central Experimental Farm campus area and Queen Juliana Park, adjacent to Dow’s Lake, for the New Civic Development.
Our response to this was, first, to fight for an investigation of how the hospital site got flipped from Tunny’s Pasture, a practically treeless expanse of concrete and asphalt, to these parks, used daily by hundreds of people for their nature time. We are convinced that this was a deal that put $2.5 billion worth of Tunny’s Pasture up for development.
But, second, we have been engaging people with the parks. A very successful rally called “Lament for the trees” was held on August 15, 2021 (see this report). Jake Morrison, a landscape photographer, has been taking tree portraits for a series called “The Elders”. Jake & Jane Keeler have been taking people portraits with the trees for a series called “I Stand With This Tree”. And, finally (or maybe not) Jake & Jane have encouraged everyone to take their own portraits with the endangered trees for a series called “I Stand With a Tree”.
These efforts will be shown here as well as every other venue we can find.