Letter from Alex: “This is the Best Solution”


This letter from “Alex” was published on The Guardian website on April 27, 2007, in response to the news that the PEI Legislature supported a moratorium on the development of the Upton Farmlands.

This is the best solution – congrats to the Upton Farm Preservation Network for having the courage to do what so many in this community wish to see happen.

PEI has the lowest amount of public/Crown land in the country and every acre is precious. Upton Farm is a jewel at the western entrance to the city – the primary route to Ch’town since the opening of the fixed link. Do we want it developed, degenerating into an eyesore like East Grafton Street is at the eastern entrance to the city?

Too often, the small minority in PEI who are pro-development get too much press. The Guardian needs to maintain a balanced approach and do some investigative reporting instead of gravitating to the most vocal source.

The Upton Farm property is owned by the taxpayers of Canada – Agriculture Canada bought it for a song many decades ago and now Canada Lands Co. wants to make a bundle off it to pay down federal largesse. Ch’town residents have paid their taxes diligently to Canada for many years – we should be the primary beneficiaries of having this property become green space, not more urban sprawl.

And city council needs to start densifying the city itself instead of letting development travel all over the countryside. Build upwards and provide increased green space while providing a very clear city-countryside boundary just like you see in Denmark.