Children playing soccer on Mahone Bay's field, with the woods in the background. This field and the woods behind will disappear if the proposed development goes forward.

Save Mahone Bay's Woods and Soccer Field!

Target:

Joe Feeney, Mayor, and Town Council of Mahone Bay

Sponsored by:

To the Members of the Mahone Bay Town Council:

The Town of Mahone Bay is a beautiful community. We also understand that it is a rural community which faces serious and difficult challenges that have implications for its economic survival.

We have deep reservations about the conceptual plan for the development of the Town land behind the old school which the Council announced through the media on May 17, 2007. We understand that this development is seen as an opportunity to revitalize the Town. We also understand why it is seen that way.

Our reservations are many. The development concept is based on social and economic engineering that are without precedent in the Town and need thoughtful consideration. The neighbourhood that would be created by building this concept will be utterly unlike any other in the community. It will have significant impacts on the existing neighbourhoods and the properties surrounding it, and may impact the whole Town in ways that have not been foreseen. We believe in children and in their playing fields and question the need to sacrifice the soccer field, and the wisdom of doing so. We question the environmental values of the development concept. We fear that the concept is being made possible only by the privatization of publicly-owned land at a price that does not reflect its inherent or its market values. We fear that in the long run this concept will enrich the developer without delivering real solutions for the Town's problems. We fear that the new affordable housing subdivision and seniors residences may result in costs to the Town that are greater than the additional revenues they are intended to generate. We believe that before this development proceeds the Town Council and its citizens must be sure that there are not other, wiser, ways to address the Town's needs and its future development.

We call on you not to commit to this development before all the people of the Town have had a chance to fully assess and debate its implications, both good and bad, and to consider alternatives.

To the Members of the Mahone Bay Town Council:

The Town of Mahone Bay is a beautiful community. We also understand that it is a rural community which faces serious and difficult challenges that have implications for its economic survival.

We call on you not to commit to this development before all the people of the Town have had a chance to fully assess and debate its implications, both good and bad, and to consider alternatives.

To the Members of the Mahone Bay Town Council:

The Town of Mahone Bay is a beautiful community. We also understand that it is a rural community which faces serious and difficult challenges that have implications for its economic survival.

Our reservations are many. The development concept is based on social and economic engineering that are without precedent in the Town and need thoughtful consideration. The neighbourhood that would be created by building this concept will be utterly unlike any other in the community. It will have significant impacts on the existing neighbourhoods and the properties surrounding it, and may impact the whole Town in ways that have not been foreseen. We believe in children and in their playing fields and question the need to sacrifice the soccer field, and the wisdom of doing so. We question the environmental values of the development concept. We fear that the concept is being made possible only by the privatization of publicly-owned land at a price that does not reflect its inherent or its market values. We fear that in the long run this concept will enrich the developer without delivering real solutions for the Town%u2019s problems. We fear that the new low-cost housing subdivision and seniors residences may result in costs to the Town that are greater than the additional revenues they are intended to generate. We believe that before this development proceeds the Town Council and its citizens must be sure that there are not other, wiser, ways to address the Town's needs and its future development.

We call on you not to commit to this development before all the people of the Town have had a chance to fully assess and debate its implications, both good and bad, and to consider alternatives.

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We signed the "Save Mahone Bay's Woods and Soccer Field!" petition!

# 394:

10:24 am PDT, Sep 1, Richard Callaghan, Canada
The field of dreams brings aspirations to all. The boys and girls love to practice, play and train for soccer on the old school pitch. Would Beckham, Stanley Mathews, George Best allow a hallowed ground to be ripped up, covered in housing, forgotten and moved? Oh! by the way, whilst you are at it...knock the old school down. Is that the next step. ???

# 393:

5:23 am PDT, Jul 21, Joseph Moualison, Canada

# 392:

7:07 am PDT, Jul 11, Kerry Slack, Canada

# 391:

4:31 pm PDT, Apr 7, Beqi White, Canada
I have just moved to the area, and am saddened that the town is considering this action. I love to play soccer, and plan having my child also play. Please don't get rid of the field

# 390:

6:38 am PDT, Aug 24, Ron Watson, Canada
I do not believe this devolpment will be of benefit to Mahone Bay.� This property , at its location, is easily available to everyone, for sports etc. In private hands it will no longer be available.� Where will they go for recreation?

# 389:

4:48 am PDT, Aug 20, Golda Arthur, United Kingdom

# 388:

2:42 pm PDT, Aug 11, Melanie Wagner, Canada
I grew up in Mahone Bay and went to the old school. I can't imagine coming home to visit and seeing that area completely changed for condos! Mahone Bay is historic and should be left alone, even if it is in a part of town that not everyone sees. Besides isn't there enough places in town that are being built that have no buyers?

# 387:

7:24 am PDT, Aug 6, Jack Bennet, Canada
I play soccer for the Halifax City Club but everytime I go to Mahone Bay I always practice at the field. It would be awful to lose such a fantastic field to developers.

# 386:

2:41 pm PDT, Jul 31, Greta Malkotzoglou, Greece

# 385:

8:12 pm PDT, Jun 13, Hon.Howie Birnbaum, New York

# 384:

8:10 pm PDT, Jun 13, Frank Kunkel, New York

# 383:

8:09 pm PDT, Jun 13, Jeff Fischman, New Jersey

# 382:

8:08 pm PDT, Jun 13, Arline Wrecker, New York

# 381:

8:08 pm PDT, Jun 13, Eric Waxman, Pennsylvania

# 380:

8:07 pm PDT, Jun 13, Mike Pert, New York

# 379:

8:06 pm PDT, Jun 13, Yariv Leers, New York

# 378:

8:05 pm PDT, Jun 13, Joe Tobia, New York

# 377:

11:24 am PDT, Jun 12, Name not displayed, Massachusetts
My connection to the Mahone Bay area are my family roots. My mother was born in 1906 and raised in Indian Point before coming to the US. My Uncle Max Zwicker lives in Indian Point and is very well known. My very early ancestors are buried in the Mahone Bay cemetery. I will be coming to stay with a cousin in Mahone Bay next month.

# 376:

9:27 am PDT, Jun 6, Jennifer Green, Canada
I recently bought a house in Oakland. A large part of the reason for why we are moving to the area is because of what the town has to offer me and my young family. Beautiful green space and community programs played a key role in my decision to move there. The town can just not afford to loose these valuable assets and to do so would jeopardize the strength that makes the town so appealing. I do not have a solution for the economical problems of the town and I agree that SOME kind of development is the answer. I believe that there are always more roads then one to reach a common goal.

# 375:

7:11 am PDT, Jun 2, Mark Corkum, Canada
As a former student at the old Mahone Bay School, I spent a lot of time on the Mahone Bay Soccer Field. Now I enjoy watching my nephew's games there. There is a big reason why Tier 1 Soccer prefers to play there instead of on the newer Bayview School field- it is flat. When playing soccer, it's important that players are able to see each other. At Bayview, the hump is so high in the middle that many players cannot see from one net to the other. If someone were to tell me that it was modelled after the St. Louis Arch, I'd only be mildly surprised. With the field at the Old School, Mahone Bay has a valuable asset and it would be a shame to destroy it if adjacent property could be found for housing. Based on the growth of Soccer Nova Scotia and international soccer in general over the last 10 years, it looks like the field's demand would increase over time.

# 374:

5:20 pm PDT, May 22, Seth Stern, New Jersey

# 373:

5:34 am PDT, May 15, Stephen Cunningham, United Kingdom

# 372:

5:45 pm PDT, May 11, Anders Kristiansen, Canada
To whom this may concern, Although I am not a resident of the lovely town of Mahone Bay, I have spent countless hours there with my relatives and likewise feel that I am obliged to speak out against the proposed "development" plan. I spent many a day as a chid strolling in the old trails by the school and the sceanic beauty of the surronding woodlands has been forever engraved within my memory. I remember the sense of wonder that overtook me as I looked at the great trees, the wildlife, and the series of paths that led to, at least in a chld's mind, a series of unknown destinations. Now as an adult, I still stroll there ocassionally ( when ever I am in town) and marvel at the lovely sceanary. Furthermore, I am not the only one who feels this attachment to Mahone Bays woodlands. Everytime that I am there, I encounter a number of passers by who have also come out to enjoy the magnificence of the natural surround. I have always considered them to be extremely lucky to live so close to nature...and to have the capicity to go for a stroll there on a moments notice. I had always thought that someday I would also walk there with children of my own, and that we could share the unforgetable moments that I have experienced walking there with my relatives. The idea of losing this area forever is extremely disheartening and I would urge the councel to reassess the validity of such a proposal. Thank you very much for your time, Sincerely. Anders S Kristiansen

# 371:

9:57 am PDT, Mar 25, Stephen Rogers, Canada
The person/persons that want to develop on that land should be ashamed of themselves!

# 370:

10:44 am PDT, Mar 11, Roger Davison, Idaho
I grew up in Mahone Bay, played on that field and in those woods. The development you are proposing effectively destroys the quality of life that residents past and present have come to enjoy and respect. I remember being able to walk the streets even as a young boy without fear or concern; will this development end this sense of comfort and security? I remember when the police officers knew each kid and family by name, and sadly, I remember when the three churches on the water actually meant something to the people living within their shadows. Here in the western US, towns like Park City, Utah and Jackson, Wyoming were once idyllic little vistas set against the magnificent Rocky Mountains. Now, they are commercial free-for-alls, with growth unchecked and a healthy caste system that caters to a select few. I believe that the new growth that Mahone Bay has seen in the past 20 years threatens to eliminate any feeling of community, of charm, that once was so prevalent. How will these new families earn a living? Shop for groceries? Go to school? These are questions for which the town council probably have no answers. Mayor Feeney and those on the council, I played with your sons on those fields, and made memories for a lifetime in those friendships. Do not deny that gift to the next generation of kids growing up in the Bay.

# 369:

5:10 am PST, Mar 5, Brian Delaney, Canada

# 367:

10:19 pm PST, Feb 28, Kate OBrien, Canada
The public lands of the old school are a community "good". These open spaces are fast receding throughout communities in Canada and a town such as Mahone Bay, with its unique character and community sense, should heed the strong opposition that has been expressed to the sale of these lands. Once they are sold, there is no return of these lands to the public good. With this level of opposition, the Town Council should react by stopping the process. If indeed this is such a great idea, then surely waiting for some period of time for the community concensus to turn in the direction of the sale cannot hurt. I am strongly opposed to this sale and the currently proposed development. Kate O'Brien

# 366:

2:02 pm PST, Feb 24, Flora MacDonald, Canada
My husband and I have been running a youth group at Mahone Bay for 6 years. During the warmer months we use the field regularly. We meet in the old school and it would be a tragic loss to not have the field for our youth. Once this land is gone there will be no other land available for such a field.

# 365:

11:28 am PST, Feb 21, George Barkhouse, Canada
I just read that potential developments in Mahone Bay could add 769 people over the next few years to the town's current population of 906 (200 from this development alone - down from earlier projection of 350). I'm a little confused. Why would you take away green space and try to grow the town by 85% at the same time? If you want growth, wouldn't it make better sense to grow by 569 people (pop. 1475 which is almost exactly the town's historic peak population) and keep the green space that has been around for the last 75 years? .......perhaps the words of Thomas Jefferson could be taken to heart by Mahone Bay town council - "those who cannot change their minds, cannot change anything". thanks, George from Lunenburg County!

# 364:

6:28 pm PST, Feb 16, Daniel Baxter, Canada
Once it's done it can't be undone, so be very very sure before you decide.

# 363:

5:57 pm PST, Feb 16, Lisa Linscott, Canada
I have lived in Mahone Bay for over 20 years. My Children spent many afternoon playing on that field from the time they were young child to through to their adulthood. At time the woods behind the soccer field provide me with a peaceful tranquility I could not find else where in our small community. I spent many hours with my children and grandchildren wondering through the woods from the soccer field to the baseball field exploring nature, listening to the birds sing, and searching for salamanders. I hope I have the opportunity to share these experiences with my great grandchildren.

# 362:

11:28 am PST, Feb 13, David Weinczok, Canada
My name is David Weinczok, and as a leading member of Dalhousie University's sustainability initiative (SustainDal), and a person with very sentimental connections with Mahone Bay, I absolutley condemn this development. This is not only due to the obvious environmental implications, but is perhaps moreso due to my complete love for the town. Half of my family has lived in Mahone Bay for 40 years as of this summer, and I, just as any person who has graced the town, have a strong sense of responsibility and love for it. There is not a single virtue to this development aside from a plausable increase in the town's tax revenue - and I absolutely oppose the idea that such an increase justifies such the destruction of one of the pearls of the Mahone Bay community. The process of orchestrating the development has been notoriously unfair, and even unlawful. Even if this were not the case, the sale price of the land is outrageous considering its true value. It is a watershed area, and by removing it Mahone Bat risks a considerable and real decline in the quality of the woods. Removing a watershed area eliminates fragile species entirely, strains all others, and changes the very land itself. This is not speculation, as a proper environmental evaluation of the land would clearly prove! (Consult Conserve Nova Scotia, the Ecology Action Centre, or similar organizations for more information). Please, encourage everybody you know to ACT on this - or we will lose a true pearl of one of Nova Scotia's most cherished townships.

# 361:

9:49 am PST, Feb 5, Jeannie Blackwell, Florida

# 360:

6:05 pm PST, Jan 5, Matthew Wagner, Canada
It would be a shame to see anything happen to these woods as the trails were great fun when my friends and I were younger, the area should be protected as many animals have this as a habitat. Matt

# 359:

6:28 pm PST, Nov 14, Jill Keddy Smith, Canada
I too am strongly opposed to the possible development of our much loved soccer field. (former student here and my son plays on that field) The huge issue concerning affordable housing and senior residences can no longer be slighted. An aging population and a ridiculous price tag that now adorns South Shore property has created nothing less than a mean old tiger that is biting hard now. I did like Shelagh Abriel's letter on the soccer field website because it was positive at least, and offered some alternative housing sites. It is not a completely foreign idea to expect greedy land developers in any part of this area to be responsible themselves for bearing the financial burdens of utility installation in the form of adequate sewerage, roads, drainage, electricity and maintenance of, etc. rather than having that fall on the pockets of any small town taxpayers. The Mahone Bay Center looks shabby and needs a coat of paint. I am Chair of the Bay to Bay trail Association and have not one member of Mahone Bay on our committee. Perhaps amalgamation is the answer, i don't know but what I do know is that it takes a great deal of effort to be a town councillor and bashing the efforts of these individuals is not the answer either. This a modern challenge and only one issue that is going to grow all over the South Shore. Time to work together and study solutions found in other areas. Save the soccer field.

# 358:

5:02 am PST, Nov 9, Alana Green, Canada

# 357:

8:45 am PST, Nov 8, Lachlan Barber, Canada
I visit Mahone Bay often and am shocked at the lack of public consultation in the proposed development plans.

# 356:

12:43 pm PDT, Oct 31, Suzanne M. Borkowski, Canada
I run a Breeding Bird Survey starting in Mahone Bay and running North. I also attend birding field trips there every year and love the area! What is being proposed is completely unsuitable! I'm sure there are better ways to keep everyone concerned happy! Suzanne Borkowski President - Nova Scotia Bird Society

# 355:

3:42 am PDT, Oct 29, Ruth Brown, Canada

# 354:

7:41 am PDT, Oct 25, Martin Dowse, Canada

# 353:

7:29 am PDT, Oct 24, Melanie Harrington, Canada
My family lived in Mahone Bay my whole life, my grandmother lived on Pine St.for 50 years until she passed on 2 years ago.I went to Mahone Bay school as a young girl and played in these woods as a child and walked them as I got older I know them like the back of my hand,please lets do all we can to save them,too much of nature is being destroyed everyday for developements ,for money ,lets remember what is important and save this precious piece of land .

# 352:

7:44 am PDT, Oct 23, Joanne Cook, Canada
The proposed development flies in the face of principles of good community planning and environmental stewardship.

# 351:

4:26 pm PDT, Oct 22, Evan Dahl, Canada
I am Evan Dahl.I lived in mahone bay ever since i was born.This soccer field is important.It cant be destroyed by a housing development for seniors.This soocer field is important the one at bayview is not good.Plus its not for the public to use its owned by nova learning.If they build a housing development there will be no trails left which i eoy walking on and the soccer field which a whole bunch of peole use including bob sayer and his teams he coaches.I enjoy the soccer field and trails alot of people like most of my friends play soccer on that field.They enjoy it.They shouldnt take a soccer field away just to attract people into town.Leave it be so the young kids can enjoy playing on it.I am not happy with the towns decision on putting a housing development on the old school lands.We have to stop this from happening.

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