The Editor
Re. "Agriculture in park?" (Letters, The Tri-City News, Oct. 14).
I'd like to acknowledge the endless amount of voluntary hard work and extensive knowledge that this community has received from Elaine Golds and the Burke Mountain Naturalists.
The BMN are so much more than dedicated wildlife advocates, they are also dedicated protectors of Agricultural Land Reserve land and have been leaders in the conservation of our natural environment. The community and school children are so fortunate to have learned so much about environmental issues from such an educated volunteer organization.
I feel Ginny Wilson's letter is disrespectful and misleading about the BMN and the plans for Colony Farm.
Ms. Wilson is trying to paint a picture that is black and white. Should there or should there not be agriculture at Colony Farm? There is much more to it than that. She does not acknowledge the well-warranted concerns that not just the BMN, but many community members, have with the plans for Colony Farm. She also consistently fails to mention the $30-million tab with no plans as to who is going to pay for it.
To suggest BMN members are not aware that community gardening is not considered a form of agriculture under the ALR is insulting - many of us have learned about this from them.
I think community gardening should be seen as a form of agriculture and that this ought to be reviewed; this would certainly help accommodate the hundreds of people waiting for a plot in an ever-increasing population with less and less green space.
I am irked by Metro Vancouver's plans for Colony Farm but at this time what irks me even more is the lack of respect shown by Ms. Wilson to members of the Burke Mountain Naturalists who have done so much for the benefit of all of us.
Jane Paddon, Coquitlam
