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Brandon University 18th Street Hedge to be Removed

Brandon University 18th Street Hedge to be Removed

Dear Rosemary
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 24

Dear Rosemary
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 24

Brandon University 18th Street Hedge to be Removed
7/21/2017 at 9:31 AM

Brandon University is preparing to remove the hedge that creates a border along 18th Street. According to their Campus Master Plan (Page 26), this hedge creates a "physical barrier" and is to be removed to make the University more "visible and accessible."

https://www.brandonu.ca/campusplan/

This hedge has been part of the University landscape for 50+ years. It buffers the noise and pollution from a major city artery and provides shelter for the various neighbourhood wildlife. In my option, it is too early in their planning to remove something that will take years to replace and at a great expense - both financial and environmental.

What are your thoughts?
Getty
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1536

Getty
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1536

GOOD
7/21/2017 at 9:41 AM

Take it all out. Make the property look clean for a change. Eye sore in my opinion.
activex
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 169

activex
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 169

agree
7/21/2017 at 9:55 AM

it will look cleaner and give the view better to those buildings. So what if it is 50 years old...50 years ago people were dressed different too.
VTB
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 189

VTB
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 189

Keep it
7/21/2017 at 10:35 AM

Greenery is something we should strive to have and enjoy. Enough barrenness in this city as it is.
ultraguy
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1096

ultraguy
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1096

.
7/21/2017 at 10:52 AM

I like how the hedge helps to separate the property from traffic and the road. Removing it will improve the view of the University from the road, but I'm not sure why that is important. When I'm on the University property, I'd rather feel separated from the road than right beside it.
Blue_Guru
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 381

Blue_Guru
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 381

In regards to changes
7/21/2017 at 1:55 PM

Too much emphasis on the sizzle, not enough on the steak.
AnimalLover
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 216

AnimalLover
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 216

Keep it
7/21/2017 at 5:43 PM

It will not improve the view! The spruce trees surrounding the front block the majority of the buildings. Taking it down will ruin the green space as this will then be used as a short cut from the street.
Breaker12
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 263

Breaker12
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 263

Get rid of it...
7/22/2017 at 7:50 AM

Remove it...
Time to actually show off the university! I had out of towners come to visit. I went to show them around Brandon. They commented it looked over crowded and ugly.
cam49
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 58

cam49
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 58

Green space in the city
7/22/2017 at 10:33 AM

Is to be cherished... With global warming (and just our often hot summers) the vegetation helps cooling. The hedge helps direct pedestrians to the crosswalks. Sadly, there are those who would take out the green, pave the space (to make the U more "auto accessible") and then want new soundproofing windows and bigger aircon units! THINK (BU is not a C—store!)
PositiveKarma
Joined: This month
Posts: 136

PositiveKarma
Joined: This month
Posts: 136

Hedge
7/22/2017 at 10:44 AM

The University can do what they want to do. If they want to remove their hedge, they will remove their hedge.
cam49
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 58

cam49
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 58

Oddly even the shopping malls north and south
7/22/2017 at 10:46 AM

Make a wee effort to add greenery (and they are wanting visibility while "hooking" for drop in customers) Eliminating the foliage at BU could then complete the town with barren ugly North, South and Centre! How wonderful would it be to sit on the grass or bench, in thoughtful discussion whilst enjoying the enhanced sounds of progress.... traffic noise! (as people rush by to relax at their bush cabins)
cam49
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 58

cam49
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 58

Oddly even the shopping malls north and south
7/22/2017 at 10:46 AM

Make a wee effort to add greenery (and they are wanting visibility while "hooking" for drop in customers) Eliminating the foliage at BU could then complete the town with barren ugly North, South and Centre! How wonderful would it be to sit on the grass or bench, in thoughtful discussion whilst enjoying the enhanced sounds of progress.... traffic noise! (as people rush by to relax at their bush cabins)
cam49
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 58

cam49
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 58

Oddly even the shopping malls north and south
7/22/2017 at 10:47 AM

Make a wee effort to add greenery (and they are wanting visibility while "hooking" for drop in customers) Eliminating the foliage at BU could then complete the town with barren ugly North, South and Centre! How wonderful would it be to sit on the grass or bench, in thoughtful discussion whilst enjoying the enhanced sounds of progress.... traffic noise! (as people rush by to relax at their bush cabins)
Dear Rosemary
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 24

Dear Rosemary
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 24

Petition
8/14/2017 at 8:44 AM

Please sign the petition in the link below if you want BU to reconsider the removal of the hedge. We are running out of time!

https://www.change.org/p/brandon-university-administration-save-the-bu-hedge?recruiter=756485695&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition
Johnbisonbear
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 4183

Johnbisonbear
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 4183

who decided
8/14/2017 at 9:21 AM

to remove the hedges?

Sounds like they have too much time on their hands and not enough 'real work' to do!
Fishin Guy
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6897

Fishin Guy
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6897

....
8/14/2017 at 10:45 AM

Nice to be removed. It is hard to see foot traffic coming from the university on to the crossings. Plus too it would open up the view to the university. Green space will still be there, just in grass.

People want to start protesting hedges.....we have developments that clear all vegetation from the area then build condos, only to plant baby trees that will take decades to reach the sizes that were originally there. Hence why we have water run off problems now. Yet you never see anyone protesting to save the trees.
Cheezies
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1623

Cheezies
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1623

Maintenance
8/14/2017 at 11:37 AM

Maybe it's just too hard or not cost-effective to maintain. I can't imagine how much garbage and litter that would need to be cleaned from those hedges, especially after a windy day.

Blade
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 538

Joined: Apr 2008

Posts: 538

8/14/2017 at 3:47 PM

Fishin Guy said "Nice to be removed. It is hard to see foot traffic coming from the university on to the crossings. Plus too it would open up the view to the university. Green space will still be there, just in grass.

People want to start protesting hedges.....we have developments that clear all vegetation from the area then build condos, only to plant baby trees that will take decades to reach the sizes that were originally there. Hence why we have water run off problems now. Yet you never see anyone protesting to save the trees. "

Well with this thinking I guess we will have to remove all the hedges in town so you can see foot traffic coming. There is a sidewalk in front of the university that foot traffic has to cross before it gets to the crosswalk, your comment doesn't make any sense.

Hmmm so now you say don't remove the trees in new developments because this causes water run-off problems....probably more so because of the earthwork movement that causes drainage problems not tree removal. Also why the concern about decades to replace the trees when it will also takedecades to replace that hedge?

cmore
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 697

cmore
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 697

Change/hedge
8/14/2017 at 7:01 PM

Ironic using change.org to stop change from happening.
Trevor B

Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8881

Trevor B
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8881

It's
8/14/2017 at 7:26 PM

also a master plan of what's envisioned of what BU could look like in 20-30 years. It's not set in stone and have not committed to any of these plans as of yet. There are many things that could become reality and might not become reality. It's not like this is going to happen tomorrow or in any immediate future, it could be 10, 20 or 30 years down the road.

Also BU had Open Houses in regards to this plan earlier in the year, March 9th for one. Where was the backlash then?

The current Master Plan June 2017. Look at the paragraphs at the bottom of page 5.
Trevor B

Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8881

Trevor B
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8881

Apparently
8/14/2017 at 7:49 PM

it's been saved for now according to the petition. Bet none of those nearly 1400 that signed even read the master plan or went to any of the public Open Houses. They just saw a petition that dramatically says these are at immediate risk.
Trevor B

Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8881

Trevor B
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8881

Little
8/14/2017 at 8:04 PM

further reading on page 107, shows that the hedge removal is only a recommendation of what could be done by the consultants that worked with BU to put together this Master Plan.
M.T.
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 92

M.T.
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 92

greenery
8/14/2017 at 9:23 PM

yeah, if you read the plan it actually mentions planting a lot of trees to provide more canopy and along enhanced walkways...but just remove hedges. It also i:ncludes several pictures of other places with examples of what they could look like.
crop
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1597

crop
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1597

Safety
8/14/2017 at 10:53 PM

Has no one thought about safety for the people walking past the hedge after dark and anyone that could be hiding behind it? Take it out. Those are beautiful buildings, they should be displayed.
BrandonBorn88
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 45

BrandonBorn88
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 45

Crop
8/14/2017 at 11:02 PM

Safety... People hiding behind bushes. Ha nope I can never say I've ever heard of people hiding behind those bushes at night. Just hanging out in the bush? Better remove all hedges everywhere. It's a safety concern.

Fishin Guy
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6897

Fishin Guy

Joined: Dec 2005

Posts: 6897

...

8/15/2017 at 8:23 AM

Blade said "

Fishin Guy said "Nice to be removed. It is hard to see foot traffic coming from the university on to the crossings. Plus too it would open up the view to the university. Green space will still be there, just in grass.

People want to start protesting hedges.....we have developments that clear all vegetation from the area then build condos, only to plant baby trees that will take decades to reach the sizes that were originally there. Hence why we have water run off problems now. Yet you never see anyone protesting to save the trees. "

Well with this thinking I guess we will have to remove all the hedges in town so you can see foot traffic coming. There is a sidewalk in front of the university that foot traffic has to cross before it gets to the crosswalk, your comment doesn't make any sense.

Hmmm so now you say don't remove the trees in new developments because this causes water run-off problems....probably more so because of the earthwork movement that causes drainage problems not tree removal. Also why the concern about decades to replace the trees when it will also takedecades to replace that hedge? "

I have seen students coming from the university walk out from the hedges and there is a whole what 4-5 feet of sidewalk before they cross onto the road from the sidewalk. Some just keep walking thinking that cars have seen them and will stop. Not all walk down the sidewalk. Nothing against bushes, why not have them smaller like the Co-op gas bar on 18th st then?

Stripping of the trees is not the only problem of water drainage, I know that. Mature trees can suck up hundreds of gallons of water. What I hate is they strip all the trees in a development then force you to plant x amount of greenery when you build.

Dear Rosemary
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 24

Dear Rosemary

Joined: Jul 2016

Posts: 24

Immediate

8/15/2017 at 10:17 AM

Trevor B said "also a master plan of what's envisioned of what BU could look like in 20-30 years. It's not set in stone and have not committed to any of these plans as of yet. There are many things that could become reality and might not become reality. It's not like this is going to happen tomorrow or in any immediate future, it could be 10, 20 or 30 years down the road.

Also BU had Open Houses in regards to this plan earlier in the year, March 9th for one. Where was the backlash then?

The current Master Plan June 2017. Look at the paragraphs at the bottom of page 5. "

The hedge was due to be removed before classes started in September.

Dear Rosemary
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 24

Dear Rosemary
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 24

Reprieve
8/15/2017 at 10:21 AM

From The Brandon Sun, August 15, 2017:

A petition with more than 1,300 signatures to save the hedges that line Brandon University’s property looks like it may get some positive results.

On Monday afternoon, BU interim president Steven Robinson emailed members of the university community advising that BU would be postponing the plan to rip out the hedges that separate the campus from 18th Street until the spring, giving them time to "reflect on the pros on cons of this action and to absorb the Campus Master Plan in its entirety."
PrimeConvoy

Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 561

PrimeConvoy
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 561

safety...
8/15/2017 at 10:31 AM

It is a safety concern. Regina did the same thing for all their cemeteries. They had a rash of vandalism in their cemeteries so they removed the perimeter hedges to increase view from the road. Student on campus would be safer at night, but that's just my opinion.

Fishin Guy
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6897

Fishin Guy

Joined: Dec 2005

Posts: 6897

...

8/15/2017 at 12:15 PM

Dear Rosemary said "From The Brandon Sun, August 15, 2017:

A petition with more than 1,300 signatures to save the hedges that line Brandon University’s property looks like it may get some positive results.

On Monday afternoon, BU interim president Steven Robinson emailed members of the university community advising that BU would be postponing the plan to rip out the hedges that separate the campus from 18th Street until the spring, giving them time to "reflect on the pros on cons of this action and to absorb the Campus Master Plan in its entirety." "

I wonder how many people just signed it for the sake of signing. Reading their master plan all it is doing is opening up the grounds for a more open view concept from the street. So you can actually tell there is a university building.