UBC Farm: Comments from the UBC Insiders’ Blog

UBC Insiders

We Win! UBC Farm Saved!

After a number of secret meetings, it looks like the UBC Board of Governors has very wisely decided to protect the full 24 hectares of the UBC Farm. This decision is a direct result from literally years of tireless lobbying by students, faculty, and community members. The university administration had hoped to build market housing over the Farm and surrounding forest area, but it appears that the political pressure on the Board was simply too great. That market housing will now be transfered to other areas of campus (which could have its own problems). Here’s UBC’s press release:

UBC Board of Governors Requests New Academic Plan for Sustainable South Campus

The University of British Columbia Board of Governors has directed UBC administration to develop academic plans for a 24 ha parcel of South Campus land for teaching and research purposes that are “academically rigourous and globally significant” around issues of sustainability.

The Board directed that the new plans enhance UBC’s position as Canada’s most sustainable university and a recognized world leader in campus sustainability.

At the same time, the Board stipulated that no market housing will be pursued on the 24 ha parcel, which contains the UBC Farm, as long as the university’s housing, community development and endowment goals can be met through transferring density to other parts of campus. The 24 ha parcel is designated as “Future Housing Reserve” in the current UBC Official Community Plan, a bylaw of the Greater Vancouver Regional District created in 1997.

The Board also committed to the continuation of current land uses until academic plans are completed and a decision has been reached on density transfer.