Editor:
Re: Earthwise has itself to blame for current situation, letter to the editor, Nov. 16
I feel it is necessary to respond to Bob Bracken’s letter by pointing out that when the writer last had any involvement with the Earthwise Society, almost six years ago, the current Century Southlands proposal did not exist. There is no way the writer can authoritatively speak about what has transpired within our organization since that time.
The current Southlands project was first presented publicly in 2012. At that time the Earthwise board and staff had numerous meetings and negotiations with Century resulting in our feeling assured, by mid-2013, that the Earthwise Demonstration Farm would be included in the Market Square planned for the site.
This belief was supported by Southlands’ own promotional materials, starting in 2013, that included this statement posted on the Southland’s website until August 2016, and then removed: “As the working model for the Southlands Community-based Farm, Earthwise Farm and Garden will be the feature of the Market Square and Public Plaza.”
This is the message that we communicated to our members and supporters during second and third readings. Our understanding in this regard is also reinforced by the fact the Demonstration Farm area is labeled on the Corporation of Delta’s bylaw 7271 as part of the Earthwise Garden.
In view of these assurances, Earthwise Society revised our strategic plan to outline our vision for working with Century to contribute to the successful implementation of the Southlands project. This plan was presented publicly at our 2015 AGM, at which Century CEO Sean Hodgins was our invited guest speaker.
Earthwise has always been grateful to Century Group for providing us with the land on which to build our operation. This gift was not without a price, however. Century Group made it clear to us from the start that they expected us to invest our own financial resources into the site, into restoring buildings on the site, and into building a farm and a garden.
Century provided an opportunity, and we have shown our gratitude by excelling at what we do. We have created a community resource, a model small-scale farm, and meaningful community programs without requesting financial support from either Delta or from Century.
Our work has benefitted Century by giving expression to the vision of small-scale community farming around which they successfully built their proposal.
Anne Powell
