EA Bulletin - Greenwich Still Threatened

Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1999 23:14:22
To: slabchuk@isn.net
From: Sharon Labchuk <slabchuk@isn.net>
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <sust-mar-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>

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				   EARTH ACTION BULLETIN
				  ---December 28, 1999---

		     REALITY CHECK - GREENWICH PARK STILL THREATENED
				      ============
				      Earth Action
			81 Prince Street, Charlottetown, PEI  C1A 4R3
			      902-621-0719  email: slabchuk@isn.net
		^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^	


REALITY CHECK - GREENWICH PARK STILL THREATENED

WAS IT A VICTORY?

By now most of you have heard the Parks Canada announcement (December
20/99) that plans for a hotel on crown land adjoining the national park at
Greenwich, PEI have been scrapped due to public pressure, although the
interpretive centre will go ahead.  In the media coverage this was
presented by Parks Canada and Island Nature Trust as one of those win-win
situations.  But this was false.

THE REAL THREAT

The real threat to Greenwich is the recreational beach Parks Canada has
developed on PEI's last wild shores. It's the magnet for all other planned
and potential development next to the Park. A new paved road will provide
easy access for cars and tour buses to reach the beach parking lot (built
with room for expansion) and the toilets, showers and fast-food outlets -
all right next to the dunes. This is going ahead.  The bulldozers are
moving in and there are signs that once the interpretive centre is
complete, there will be further construction that threatens the wild beach,
endangered piping plover, rare plants and spiritual peace of the dunes.

PLANS OF THE SO-CALLED DEVELOPER

APM, a PEI retail development company, will build, own and lease to Parks
Canada the interpretive centre, built on crown land within walking distance
of the beach development, even though it was recommended in a Parks Canada
cumulative environmental assessment last summer that: "Preference should be
given to proposals that locate the facility in an adjacent community rather
than in the Park itself or on the rural lands directly adjacent to the
National Park properties."

 In October, a leaked document disclosed APM's plan for profits at the
expense of Greenwich.  It's called the Greenwich Settlement, a community
‘similar to communities in Florida', with up-scale residences and all the
amenities.  Here's part of the release:

"The ‘Greenwich Settlement' is APM's vision for future development in the
St. Peter's Bay area.  The Interpretive Centre is part of our vision of
partnering with Parks Canada (and potentially others) in order to develop
the Greenwich Settlement.  As can be seen from our design concept, the
Centre is the gateway, physically and visually, to the sensitive areas of
the Park, the trails in the Park and the beach access area of the Park.
Conceptually, the Centre is the gateway for visitors to learn about and
appreciate the Park and St. Peter's area, but is also the gateway through
which APM can proceed with projects complimentary to the Centre.  In retail
development, which is APM's background, the Park and Interpretive Centre
can be seen as anchor tenants giving APM the opportunity to develop other
aspects of the project. . . . APM is proposing that its concept of the
Greenwich Settlement will thrive."

To would-be resort developers (and there are many vultures circling
Greenwich), the park and interpretive centre are nothing but  "anchor
tenants".  The park is just an outdoor shopping mall to attract additional
clients.  To make matters worse, the land next to the interpretive centre
is for sale.  This critical piece of property lies between two of the three
parcels of land that comprises Greenwich.  APM says its Greenwich
Settlement will be built within walking distance of the Park, the
interpretive centre and the beach.  It would be fair to say this land fits
the bill for APM's resort plans.

OPPOSITION TO DESTRUCTION UNDERCUT

Earth Action has opposed the recreational beach, the hotel and an
interpretive centre that would be built directly adjacent to the Park.  So
have many individuals on PEI and groups all across the country. Our
combined efforts made Greenwich a national issue.  But the opposition to
the destruction of the Park has been undercut, aided by some environmental
groups.  Parks Canada conceded nothing of importance by dropping plans for
the hotel.  APM says it will simply build on private land.  The overall
threat to ecological integrity has not diminished at all.

The Island Nature Trust has the only seat on the Greenwich Advisory
Committee and supposedly represents the conservation voice.  But the Trust
has gone along with the recreational beach development and constructing the
interpretive centre next to the Park.  After the hotel announcement the
Trust's executive director, Kate MacQuarrie, was on a panel with a Parks
Canada official on CBC-TV and there was no discussion about the beach and
interpretive centre (built adjoining Park property) drawing tens of
thousands of people into the Park. 

DON'T GIVE UP ON GREENWICH

We mustn't settle for compromises in a world of disappearing wildlands.  We
have the right to expect and demand that Greenwich be protected as a
natural area and that it not be a playground for sun-seeking tourists, or
an engine for local economic development.

The National Parks Act (1988) says: "5(1.2) Maintenance of ecological
integrity through the protection of natural resources shall be the first
priority when considering park zoning and visitor use in a management plan."

Don't give up on Greenwich.  Use whatever means you have to oppose these
developments. Support us in whatever we have to do to preserve the
ecological integrity of the park.  Hold those accountable, both in
governments and in the environmental community, who are supposed to speak
for the animals and plants who have no human voice to express themselves. 

 Don't let the PEI government off the hook.  Pressure the province to
immediately implement strict zoning regulations to control development
outside the Park.

Sharon Labchuk and Irene Novaczek

**********************************

Some addresses:

Hon. Sheila Copps
Minister of Canadian Heritage
Fax: 819-994-5987
coppss@parl.gc.ca

Premier Binns
Fax: 902-368-4416
pgbinns@gov.pe.ca

Rick Laliberte
NDP parks/environment critic (Federal)
Fax: 613-995-7697
lalibr@parl.gc.ca

Your Member of Parliament
House of Commons, Ottawa   K1A 0A6

Joe O'Brien
Director General for Eastern Canada
Parks Canada
1869 Upper Water St
Halifax, NS B3J 159
Fax: 902-426-1378
joe_obrien@pch.gc.ca

Earth Action 
81 Prince St
Charlottetown, PEI  C1A 4R3
Fax: 902-621-0719
slabchuk@isn.net



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The preceding message was posted on the Sustainable Maritimes
mailing list (sust-mar).  http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/lists/sust-mar
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