Sample Letter

 

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Eric Lefer / Vancouver, BC

October 25th, 2005

Mr. Denis Pavlich, VP of External and Legal Affairs, UBC;

Mr. Johnny Carline, CAO, the Greater Vancouver Regional District;

Mr. Hugh Kellas, Manager, GVRD Policy and Planning;

Members, the GVRD-UBC Joint Committee;

Members, the GVRD Board of Directors;

Members, the UBC Board of Governors;

Mr. Ed Andrusiak, Manager GVRD Parks;

Mr. Mitch Sokalski, Manager, West Area Parks, and

GVRD Policy and Planning Department

 

Via e-mail to: judyw@wreckbeach.org and paulette.vetleson@gvrd.bc.ca

Via Fax to Judy Willams: 604-856-9598

 

 

Dear Decision Makers and Stewards of UBC and GVRD:

 

Re: Marine Residential Towers.

“Over the coming decades, society faces a profound challenge and responsibility to transition toward sustainable living and to ensure a liveable world for future generations (… ) The IRES strive for excellence in education and research in a wide range of resource and environmental issues -- from resource management, sustainable development, corporate greening, land and water management, risk assessment, ecosystem health, urbanization, climate change, renewable energy, policy and regulation innovations. An important part of the mandate is to contribute communications and awareness of, and build relationships with, people and institutions, both on-campus and around the world. Resource management and sustainable development must occur at all levels: global, regional, national and local; IRES pioneers work at all of these levels, 1) global scenario modelling, 2) regional, national and international strategies, 3) creative approaches in community adaptation and sustainability, and 4) promotes concepts and practices that place industrial and business activities within an ecosystem (holistic) framework. The Institute brings to its activities a keen awareness of the linkages that cut across spatial levels, and across environmental, social, and economic dimensions.”

You may already have guessed those words are coming from the introduction of the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability Faculty of University of British Columbia (IRES).

When I look at the Marine Residential towers development, I can’t find any tracks of “sustainable living” for “future generations”… or indications of “ building relationships with people”.  I also keep looking for the “creative approaches in community adaptation and sustainability ” …  Would it be possible that those words won’t be just empty words? If we could follow those principles, UBC would  be more credible in its educational role. Don’t you think UBC should set the standard for the future and be the leader in promoting this new sustainable ecological movement? Would you it be possible that UBC live with and for the community and not against it? Is it so much asking to keep those buildings under the tree line in order to preserve the beauty of the park?

I strongly oppose the current proposal for this development. The first tower already had a profoundly negative impact on views capes from the beach and Park, as well as on other Park values. I strongly recommend that UBC use an alternative location or design to reduce the impact of this development on the park and beach.

 

Most sincerely yours,

 

Eric Lefer