Residents oppose Sunbury Shores rezoning

I am writing to express my opposition to the proposed rezoning of the parcel of land on Joe’s Point Road, PID # 01323559, as requested by Sunbury Shores Arts & Nature Centre Inc.
This land should definitely remain zoned as environmentally significant because it is exactly that. It is one of the very few scraps of natural landscape left within the Town limits. The negative impact on the water, trees, plants, birds and wildlife on this tract of land would be major and irreparable. Such destruction of natural habitat is completely contradictory to everything Sunbury Shores has stood for since its founding as well as contradictory to all the environmental goals of the Town of St. Andrews and Canada as a whole at this pressing time of global change.
The Town has more than enough overpriced, oversized summer residences to accommodate non-residents. Adding a few more at the cost of our environment would be imprudent at best, the tax dollars negligible to the costs incurred by development and the potential sale proceeds would not resolve a management issue at Sunbury Shores now or in the years to come. Please do not rezone this land.

Mary Casement
St. Andrews



Sale of Sunbury Shores land unethical

I have been following the ongoing story line regarding Sunbury Shores Arts and Nature Centre for the past number of months with some disappointment.
I personally am left scratching my head over this one.
How can an organization that is supposed to be built on the connection of art and nature consider it ethical to sell out nature in favour of its existence? I was looking on their website and was completely dumbstruck to see in their open letter that this will have no effect on the town and that there will be seven tastefully built estates on the land. It is personally shocking how an organization like Sunbury Shores could even put out a media piece with those words in it.
Let me tell you one thing there is nothing tasteful about a housing development taking over green space. And to use a line like it will be beneficial to the town because of the tax dollars it will generate seems very corporate and anti-environmental.
I understand the pressures that non-profit organizations like Sunbury Shores face, but I also always believed that non-profits existed for the benefit of the communities they served. In this case it seems that they are saying that the environment is going to take a back seat to saving some man made structures. Well guess what we can always build a building but you never get a green space back. Sunbury Shores may well get there $400,000 for an endowment fund but how is that going to help in the long run. If what they are doing currently just isn’t sustainable than perhaps they need to take a longer look at what they are doing and if it still has relevance in its form.
The second part of this equation lies with our town councillors. Once again I am confused how we can be so adamantly opposed to something like an LNG facility across the river, yet at the same time continue to consider these types of development that take away the natural beauty that we all find so inspiring. Maybe we need to start looking after our own house (no pun intended)!
We seem to be under constant bombardment of these types of developments in the town. Look at what we have lost just over the past decade and the loss of waterfront views due to housing construction. I implore the town to keep this land as green space.
I have definitely become jaded over the years from seeing these things play out and in the end happen; and I have to admit seeing that no trespassing sign go up on the Two Meadows trail was painful to swallow. If there was ever a community of people who I would never suspect of doing this it would be a group of artists and naturalists. From my viewpoint it does nothing but alienate the people the organization serves and more importantly potential clients of the organization. Where is the leadership when we need it most from this organization – step up be brave and innovative and don’t give us a corporate message of its our land and we can do with it as we like. There are many in St. Andrews that see Sunbury Shores not as that building down on Water Street but that Nature Trail and I wonder within the town if you asked people to choose what they would pick a building or nature?

However I don’t want to just pick away at Sunbury Shores Arts and Nature Centre. I must also look at myself and my fellow citizens. Art, culture and the environment are magical components that make communities thrive but are always taken for granted and thus under funded. We need to support these areas by being proactive both with our time and with financial support. I have personally benefited from Sunbury Shores Arts and Nature Centre’s existence having used that trail over the years as well as taking courses at the centre.
It would definitely be a great loss to see the organization disappear but I would put forward not as great as losing this green space.
Surely there must be another way because I fear if this sale does happen not only will we lose a precious piece of nature but we will eventually lose Sunbury Shores Arts and Nature Centre!

Jonathan Foster
St. Andrews



Sunbury Shores must preserve nature trail


We are writing this letter regarding the rezoning request of Sunbury Shores to allow the development of land that has been used for close to 40 years as a public nature trail here in St. Andrews.
Although Sunbury Shores may indeed have the legal right to sell the land, we share many concerns with others in the town about the impact of any residential development on this property. And, given the mission of Sunbury Shores, to explore the connections between art and nature, we feel strongly that the organization has the obligation and responsibility to its members and to the town of St. Andrews to maintain the land on Joe's Point Road, a very special and rare piece of open, natural land within the town, as a nature trail.
We recall the fascinating evening we spent on the Sunbury Shores trail two or three years ago, exploring owl habitat and learning various owl vocalizations with guidance from a visiting ornithologist from UNB, as well as great times walking our dog and also skiing and snowshoeing on the trail in winter.
Many people have expressed the view that St. Andrews should retain as much green space as possible, especially given the loss some years ago of the trail from Katy's Cove to the Bar Road, when the town declined to take ownership of the railway right of way. Visitors and residents alike have historically been attracted to St. Andrews because of its walking trails.

Sunbury Shores should revisit its decision to sell this property. If the organization is having financial difficulties, it should have a membership drive, solicit grants and donations, do a capital campaign or through other activities, solicit the support of the town and its residents in order to resolve these problems. The town should also do its utmost to support and direct Sunbury Shores to assure that the trail remains in its natural state and open to the public.

Should this development of high-end "trophy" homes become a reality, we are also concerned that the adjoining property belonging to UNB will fall into the hands of a developer. Regardless whether or not this is a real possibility, St. Andrews has a plethora of homes on the market, and there seems to be no logical reason (aside from greed) for building more homes when there is so much available housing in the town.

Perhaps the town should strike a deal with Sunbury Shores and UNB to create a permanently protected park on this property. Many residents who feel strongly about retaining this lovely piece of nature for the enjoyment of everyone would likely be willing to support this effort financially and/or with volunteer time.

Isn't it worth a try? We sure think it is.

Lee Ann Ward and Larry Lack
St. Andrews