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Date Posted: 19:58:44 02/22/08 Fri
Author: anonanonanon
Subject: Re: whaletown park again
In reply to: sunflower 's message, "whaletown park again" on 18:32:56 02/22/08 Fri

Realism...

The offer Weyerhaeuser accepted for Whaletown Commons was over $600K. That's a few years ago and land has gone up a bunch since. If that offer fell through then Island Timberlands decides what to sell it for. If you were the owner of private forest land on Cortes, looking back at the way this community has treated you, you might not be feeling too benevolent.

The community has raised less than 10% of the land's value, and assuming it is the Island's will to put all the park funds into Whaletown, which seems to be in question, that contributes another 10% or so with little prospect for more (5% park dedication on new subdivisions that occur infrequently won't accumulate much in the short to medium term). That's over $400K short, isn't it?

No wealthy fairly godmother has come forward with cheque book open, so there is precious little hope of finding the funds to buy it. (The only hope is Island Timberlands finds a halo and simultaneously gets amnesia.)

The present fundraising methods will be lucky to keep up with escalating land value. If the Island is serious about acquiring Whaletown Commons, a completely different, practical and effective fundraising approach is needed.

Whether people realise it or not, there is a serious earnings deficiency on Cortes such that the number of people left to "imagine the commons" will diminish considerably if we don't attend to it. To solve that as a community would create a significant amount of wealth, and a small amount could be put aside for community betterment, like parks and community buildings. You know, what CES should have done.

On the other hand, both of the nearly park but we don't want to admit it properties (the leased land on the Gorge and the Schoolboard property) are either available at minimal cost (with enough to pay for replanting moss at an amazing rate) or possibly priced within reach. The Schoolboard sold the parcel up towards Coulter Bay for around $60K not too long ago, and maybe would be receptive to selling the Old Schoolhouse property for something reasonable. That would accommodate the Post Office, Library, Community Hall and lots more. It's ideally located and even zoned PA-1.

Less desirable, yes.

But achievable.

So, scale down the expectations and act on something within reach, or scale up the thinking, create enough wealth to get the Island out of a fix, and have the funds to buy something more valuable (in a few years).

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Replies:

  • Re: whaletown park again -- anonanonanon, 20:36:14 02/22/08 Fri
  • Re: whaletown park again -- sunflower, 22:43:12 02/22/08 Fri
  • Re: whaletown park again -- Bub (No More Parkland), 10:01:42 02/24/08 Sun
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