Southlands in Transition

Steve Mouzon gave an excellent presentation to the group this morning. "Feedable Places" gives us cause to consider just exactly what sustainability really means. The word has often been misused in recent times and it s important to understand what feedable places are.

The Southlands is a feedable place waiting to happen.You can take a look at this excellent presentation which is attached below.
Thanks Steve!

Congratulations everyone on a very successful open house. There was a real buzz and the featured boards, video, and speakers all contributed to the event, not to mention the nibblies. Aren't we lucky with the weather?! Look out the window today.
I was amazed upon my arrival at the barn to see the expanded parking lot. What an improvement. I was also interested to look at the electric car on display in the parking lot (unofficial, but interesting) and to see Sean's shared vehicle sitting outside the entrance.
All in all, a well run event.

Charette
Its getting closer! Time to get those creative juices flowing. The week long May Tsawwassen Design Charrette is right around the corner. There is a pdf description of the event attached below to circulate if you would like.

I was interested in a comment in a previous posting concerning the inability of the Southlands to “feed the masses” in its farming endeavours. The SCPT has a clear vision for Southlands: 1/3 of the land to be preserved for agriculture, in perpetuity; managed by the community, through an agricultural land trust, for the health and education of the community. Another 1/3 of the land is to be set aside for amenities, which many of us hope includes an educational facility for lifelong learning opportunities, to nurture and “feed” the intellectual, philosophical, practical, personal, and overall holistic aspects of our community. A large part of this learning could be around sustainable agriculture.

I've regained my "cool" so here goes.
Sean, thank you for your added information regarding affordability. I agree with you that we need to give it more consideration. I have skimmed your attachment only but it becomes clear we need to have our heads around this issue before the charrette.
As mentioned to you, I have a copy of a letter sent by John Cummins to the Minster of Human Affairs in Ottawa referring to my letter pertaining to "shared housing" so something might be achieved by that route, all be it time consuming.

I'm concerned we need to provide some greater direction for the planners at the charrette on the issue of affordability.

The issue of 'more affordable housing' (having reached some consensus that affordability, in the absolute sense, was not realistic) is one where I have had some of the most strident reaction among community members when the topic has been raised. Many conceive 'more affordable housing' as somehow detracting from their pricey homes. I have even had the audacious comment that any attempt at affordability could lead to a slum! I believe we need to better grasp what may define affordable housing because it seems in the context of Tsawwassen that will soon be anything under half a million dollars.

Southlands Planning Team seesion Number 4. After everyone fueled up on curry and rice udding...it was time to hit the books. Well, not really. More like taking about books. Well, not even that to be honest. It was more like what is the future of education and innovation in our community.

Three main questions were answered in small group breakout sessions:

1.0 How would an education facility on the Southlands improve and/ or impact Tsawwassen physically / ecologically

2.0 How such a facility would impact Tsawwassen Socially

3.0 How would this facility improve or impact Tsawwassen economically

Could you imagine an institution that specialized in environmental law, or one that dealt with local marine biology or Pacific Flyway studies?