Friday, November 17, 2006

Petition - on defending the fen

Defending the fen - and the wild and historic nature of Signal Hill:

The Johnson Family Foundation & the Grand Concourse Authority continue to bulldoze the hill in the name of 'conservation, geological interpretation.' City Council is mute. So, as citizens, residents, visitors, we have put together this petition, calling for sanity, due process, common courtesy:

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/Geopark/petition.html

Oh, and the ending of well-known writer Susan Rendell's article (The Independent, Nov.17,2006) to keep you smiling through this development nonsense:

"....As far as I know, no one has ever been inspired by an interpretation park to write great literature - or even a limerick. Wait a minute...
There once was a hill, wild and sweet,
Which measured the seasons by feet,
Of children and birds,
Not tourists in herds,
Until its foundation got weak."


5 comments:

Michael said...

Great idea, Alison! I've added my name to those already there. I hope many more sign up.
Given the lateness of the season, it would be a good time for the Foundation to cease work and face the public it seeks to 'serve', especially in light of the criticism of its project in the Fen, and their declared interest in playing the role of helping serve the public. To not do so, is to admit they serve only their own self-interests and the public be damned.

Anonymous said...

Nuts. Signal Hill hasn't been unspoiled wild in about three centuries. See Johnson's remark about hauling away broken-down cars, old mattresses etc. Any terrain that appears "wild" is demonstration of the aggressiveness of vegetation. Plants rule, you know. They'll grow happily on my grave, and on yours, or on our ashes if we intend to make our exit that way.

Anonymous said...

Michael,

Care to elaborate on what the JFF's "own self-interests" could be?

You have clearly never set foot on that hillside in the past 100 years.

As someone who lives in the area I can tell you it's more of a garbage dump then "unspoiled wilderness".

Bleeding hearts be damned.

Anonymous said...

By signing this petition you are stating your opposition to the education of the general public...

Anonymous said...

Allison,
I just read the comment on the fen by Matt (BSc Memorial, MSc Queen's PhD Cornell), stating, as a scientist, how he and his colleagues are in favour of the development of the fen.
No scientist would make any of the 6 statements he made without in depth study and even then there still would be caveats.
No scientist I know would make an all inclusive statement that gave assurances that; he and his "colleagues...put our collective professional support and scientific influence behind this project."
Sorry Matt until you can stand behind your statements by signing your last name I can't take them seriously.

Rick Page BES,(Urban and Regional Planning),Waterloo