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Better uses than a home for broom

Vacant lots don't have to be allowed to slip into wrack and ruin

We were disappointed when our huge local blackberry bush was cleared on Corfield and Skylark Street well over a year ago for development which hasn’t happened yet. It was a valuable little forest/berry patch and our locale lost a good food source when it was cleared.

We used to see many of our neighbours picking berries like we did while we were out for walks, filling bags and bags of berries to freeze for the winter.

We’ve also watched the lot behind city hall sit stagnant for three years since being prepped for development, with the tall grass being cut once a year in the fall, after the deer have long lived and grazed in the tall grasses through the summer.  They may as well let it stay tall and wild so that at least it provides some shelter for the deer, keeping them from being hit on the streets while they move around searching for food.

Wouldn’t it have been great if we could find some use for the land for some kind of food production instead of it just going to seed until the 62 patio homes are crammed into the 6.5 acres?

There is also an adjacent seven or eight acres that belongs to the city that is only being used as a muddy overflow parking lot.

At least the deer have had a home for part of the summers, and the thousands of geese that have grazed around the puddles.   Maybe it should be made into a bird park where the local seniors could get some fresh air and watch the birds?

C. Pahl

 

Parksville