Letter: Golf Links not Green

Our government was trying to secretly sell an intended provincial public park to Mr. Gilbert in order to support the creation of private infrastructure and wealth. In addition, private golf course development has been proven to be environmentally destructive as a result of its construction, herbicide and pesticide use, contaminated runoff, and local water consumption. Contrary to current government messaging, golf courses are neither “innovative” nor “sustainable” infrastructure, especially considering the current circumstances we face: a global pandemic and the effects of climate change.

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Letter: Dangerous Precedent by Ian Guppy

The year 2020 has been a tough one for Nova Scotia, and natural places have been where many of us have sought solace, especially those close to the ocean. Turning our precious coastal areas into golf courses — enclaves of privilege for wealthy Americans such as the one now exiting the White House — does not serve the interests of average Nova Scotians, the environment or the endangered species trying to live here.

Mr. Gilbert is intent on building his golf course, with its attendant heavy pesticide use, and razing the natural topography of this unique coastal landscape, let him do it on his privately-owned 138 hectares next to the intended Owls Head Provincial Park. That the Nova Scotia government secretly entered into a private sale agreement of public park land is an example of their cowardice and lack of accountability to the public who elected them, a public that needs green spaces like Owls Head now more than ever.

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"There is No Planet B" - Photo by David Sorcher

Letter: Owls Head rally tally lowballed by Ian Guppy

Re: Your Feb. 21 front-page news story on protesters rallying to save Owls Head park. It is good to see this important issue of our government’s secret delisting and removal of Owls Head Provincial Park from Nova Scotia’s Parks and Protected Areas Plan receive the coverage it deserves. However, ironically, this is undermined by an inaccurate account of the number of participants at the rally. I attended and would estimate, based on that experience and counting people in post-event photos, that the crowd was easily twice the size than what was reported.

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