The Guardian

April 27, 2007

 MLAs support moratorium on Upton Farm development

Charlottetown residents hope unanimous backing will lead to preservation of land as green space

BY WAYNE THIBODEAU
The Guardian

Charlottetown residents who do not want to see development on a large parcel of land at the western edge of the capital city described a motion at the P.E.I. legislature Thursday calling for a moratorium on development as an historic moment.

Kirsten Connor of the Upton Farm Preservation Network watched from the public gallery as MLAs unanimously supported a motion by Liberal MLA Ron MacKinley calling on the legislative assembly to support a moratorium on the development of the Upton Farmlands for a period of no less than 18 months.

“I think it is the beginning of something that will end with the creation of a park that will be there forever,” Connor told The Guardian.

Canada Lands, a Crown corporation of the federal government, wants to develop the 245-acre parcel of land.

The southern parcel of land would become a major residential development while the northern parcel of land, next to the West Royalty Industrial Park, would be developed into commercial proprieties.

The proposal had already been given approval by city hall but since then city officials have backtracked on their approval and are now calling on Canada Lands to withdraw its application to develop Upton Farms.

Canada Lands is still expected to proceed with the development
and some see Thursday’s motion as nothing more than election posturing on the eve of a provincial election.

Canada Lands had plans to start the development this spring.

Dianne Bradley, a resident who lives near the proposed development, hopes that isn’t the case.

Bradley was also at the P.E.I. legislature Thursday.

“I am concerned over traffic,” said Bradley.

Connor said she’d like to see the land transferred into the hands of the P.E.I. government and have it maintained as green space.