[NatureNS] SMU plans threaten precious Oak Woodland in Halifax

From: "Dave&Jane Schlosberg" <dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: "NatureNS" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2014 19:22:23 -0300
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Forwarded from a friend (Prof. at SMU):

My colleague on the Board of Governors confirmed what I suspected: the =
SMU Master Plan is a few years old now and is really a rather =
fantastical wishlist of new buildings that at least some people thought =
it would be wonderful to construct if we had all of the money in the =
world.  The reality, of course, is that most of these ideas will never =
get off of the page and I suspect that the proposed Oaks Complex is =
unlikely to come to fruition, especially now that we have the School of =
the Environment etc. (which I'm certain would object to any construction =
in that wooded corner of campus).  Never say never, of course, but I =
wouldn't hold my breath that this one's going to happen.

I would add that I find it disappointing that the master plan currently =
posted on the SMU website took so little account of the ecological =
ramifications of an expanded Oaks Complex when it was first drafted but =
I would also be very surprised if the thinking for that part of campus =
hasn't changed pretty substantially in the last couple of years in light =
of the new School of the Environment and the new Bachelor of =
Environmental Studies program at SMU.  In fact, I think there have been =
efforts to develop more ecological programming at the existing Oaks =
building, with a community garden and new outdoor classroom established =
on these grounds (efforts that pose no threat to the existing forest).  =
So, I would be thoroughly astonished if (a) the SMU master plan ever got =
'green-lit' to such a point that this 'Oaks Complex' was seriously =
contemplated (bearing in mind that this item was well down the priority =
list of an already pie-in-the-sky master plan) and (b) if such a =
development would ever take the ecologically-destructive form suggested =
in the current master plan, given the recent focus on sustainability and =
environmental programming at SMU.




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<DIV dir=3Dltr>
<DIV style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">
<DIV dir=3Dltr>Forwarded from a friend (Prof. at SMU):</DIV>
<DIV dir=3Dltr>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV dir=3Dltr>My colleague on the Board of Governors confirmed what I =
suspected:=20
the SMU Master Plan is a few years old now and is really a rather =
fantastical=20
wishlist of new buildings that at least some people thought it would be=20
wonderful to construct if we had all of the money in the world.&nbsp; =
The=20
reality, of course, is that most of these ideas will never get off of =
the page=20
and I suspect that the proposed Oaks Complex is unlikely to come to =
fruition,=20
especially now that we have the School of the Environment etc. (which =
I'm=20
certain would object to any construction in that wooded corner of =
campus).&nbsp;=20
Never say never, of course, but I wouldn't hold my breath that this =
one's going=20
to happen.<BR>
<DIV=20
style=3D'FONT-SIZE: small; TEXT-DECORATION: none; FONT-FAMILY: =
"Calibri"; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: #000000; FONT-STYLE: normal; =
DISPLAY: inline'><BR>I=20
would add that I find it disappointing that the master plan currently =
posted on=20
the SMU website took so little account of the ecological ramifications =
of an=20
expanded Oaks Complex when it was first drafted but I would also be very =

surprised if the thinking for that part of campus hasn't changed pretty=20
substantially in the last couple of years in light of the new School of =
the=20
Environment and the new Bachelor of Environmental Studies program at =
SMU.&nbsp;=20
In fact, I think there have been efforts to develop more ecological =
programming=20
at the existing Oaks building, with a community garden and new outdoor =
classroom=20
established on these grounds (efforts that pose no threat to the =
existing=20
forest).&nbsp; So, I would be thoroughly astonished if (a) the SMU =
master plan=20
ever got 'green-lit' to such a point that this 'Oaks Complex' was =
seriously=20
contemplated (bearing in mind that this item was well down the priority =
list of=20
an already pie-in-the-sky master plan) and (b) if such a development =
would ever=20
take the ecologically-destructive form suggested in the current master =
plan,=20
given the recent focus on sustainability and environmental programming =
at=20
SMU.<BR></DIV>
<DIV class=3Dgmail_extra><BR>
<DIV class=3Dgmail_quote>
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  <DIV=20
class=3Dh5>&nbsp;</DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></DIV><=
/DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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