While in Toronto, we visited the Don Valley Brick Works Park.
‘From 1889-1989 the Don Valley Brick Works was the location of a thriving brick making and distribution industry in the heart of Toronto. The City of Toronto began restoration in 1995 with the generous support of The W. Garfield Weston Foundation’.
Today, the park includes a garden market, a school, future cities centre, as well as the Weston Family Quarry Garden.
Just before Christmas, Stephen McNeil upheld the government decision on Boat Harbour and hence the impact on the Northern Pulp Mill.
Can we use this decision to repurpose the mill facility?
Can we take the opportunity to signal to the world the change in Nova Scotia’s Forest industry?
Initially, the focus will be on the necessary steps to clean up the impact on the terrestrial and marine environment. We could showcase the history of the industry (Baxter 2017) leading up to this momentous decision. Parts of the mill could be refurbished to illustrate the new forestry practices. In the spirit of the Brick Works Park, the site would include a mix of educational and tourist facilities, compatible with the new thinking.
The new vision would emphasize the relationship between Nova Scotians and their marine and terrestrial environment. It would demonstrate the inclusiveness of the different communities in the region. To support the new vision will require input from all sectors of society: the communities, government, private corporations and non-profit organizations. As we make progress on the cleanup, there will be a new story to be told. That story is a new vision and shows a real change in our relationship to the environment.
Acknowledgements
Heather Stewart, a former resident of New Glasgow, and passionate advocate for our ecosystems. Edward Wedler, a firm believer, in the power of communication technology.
References
Don Valley Brick Works Park. Web site: Toronto.ca/Brickworks
Joan Baxter. 2017. The Mill: Fifty Years of Pulp and Protest. Pottersfield Press.
Ernest Blair Experiment 