“The goal is to preserve the Farmlands as greenspace”

 

 

The following is the letter sent by the Upton Farm Preservation Network to the Canada Lands Company (the federal Crown Corporation that is now in possession of the Upton Farmlands) concerning our stand on the City of Charlottetown’s  proposal to perhaps hold a concert on the Upton Farmlands (on a field located on the north side of the TransCanada Highway): 

March 3, 2008

Mr. Ron Pachal
General Manager, Real Estate, Atlantic
Canada Lands Company
Suite 1205, 1505 Barrington St.
Halifax, NS
B3J 3K5
rpachal@clc.ca

Dear Mr Pachal:

I wish to formally express the Upton Farm Preservation Network’s (UFPN) appreciation for the leadership demonstrated by the Canada Lands Company in establishing the Upton Farmlands Consultation Committee. Our Network is particularly pleased with the Committee’s terms of reference, which state that the goal of the consultation process is develop a plan to preserve Upton Farmlands as a green space.

Further to our February 27, 2008 meeting in Charlottetown, I would also like to outline UFPN’s position regarding the request by the City of Charlottetown to use, on a one-time basis, a portion of the Upton Farmlands as a concert venue.

It is our understanding that:

a) the City’s request lies outside the Consultation Committee’s mandate and is being addressed as a one-off request;

b) the City has provided assurances that, if its request is approved, the property would be restored to its pre-concert condition; and

c) any decision taken regarding this request will in no way impact the larger consultation process to keep the Upton Farm Lands as greenspace.

In light of the above, and, given that UFPN was formed to ensure the long-term preservation of the Upton Farm Lands as green space, the Network will not oppose the city’s request.

Our position on the City’s request is conditional upon your acknowledgment that our understanding as outlined above is accurate.

We look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

Kirsten Connor
The Upton Farm Preservation Network
www.saveuptonfarm.com

cc. Mayor Clifford Lee, City of Charlottetown

Making the UFPN Position Clear

The Upton Farm Preservation Network  is now in a consultation process with representatives of the province, the City of Charlottetown and the Canada Lands Corporation to develop a plan to preserve the Upton Farm Lands as greenspace.

The UFPN was informed in early February 2008 of the City of Charlottetown’s desire to hold a concert on that portion of the Upton Farmlands located on the north side of the TransCanada Hwy. It was impressed on the UFPN that the City was in consultations with concert promoters and that a portion on the north side of the Upton Farmlands had been identified as a prime outdoor concert location, given its topography, which formed a natural amphitheatre.

The City of Charlottetown asked the UFPN for its opinion on the matter. The UFPN working group took a neutral position.

A meeting was held the last week of February, with representatives of the City of Charlottetown, the province, CLC and the UFPN in attendance. The UFPN was asked to clarify its stand on the concert.

The concern of the UFPN is, and always has been, the long-term preservation of the Upton Farm Lands as greenspace.

The UFPN has been assured by all parties, that, if a concert is held on the Upton Farm Lands, that the property will be restored to its pre-concert condition; that this is a one-time event; and that no other concerts or events will be staged on the Upton Farm Lands until the consultation process referred to in the first paragraph is completed.

Given these assurances, the UFPN will NOT OPPOSE a ONE-TIME-ONLY use of the property as a concert venue while consultations are on-going.

The UFPN wishes to make it clear that it has been given guarantees by all parties involved that this decision will in no way impact the larger consultation process to keep the Upton Farm Lands as greenspace.