Dear Sir,

Many of you will have read that our Southlands Park is being considered for commercial development. What the Government is planning for the park is listed on the website forum.gov.bm and there is a link to a draft copy of the long-awaited Southlands Park Management Plan, which was only very recently published. (Management plans for every park must be confirmed within five years of any park designation. This one is three years late.)

The development proposal includes a zipline adventure course, repurposing existing buildings, a new oceanfront café and large parking lot. We have been invited to “have our say” as to the future of this park and that “say” has been limited to a three-week period, from July 21 to August 12.

The people have already posted plenty of suggestions and objections on what — and what not — should be done with our Southlands Park, and the overwhelming majority agree that it should be maintained and improved as a tranquil nature park, but with some essential structural improvements, limited commercialisation and even suggestions that it be given to the Bermuda National Trust to ensure it remains out of bounds for further development.

There are also formal submissions from the Bermuda National Trust, the Bermuda Audubon Society, the Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce, and their letters of objection and concern have been uploaded to the Department of Planning website under the relevant development application for Southlands.

The National Parks Commission is our body of park “protectors”, which has a primary responsibility to advise the appropriate minister on matters affecting the long-term conservation and management of the national parks system. It was disbanded in December 2022 and finally resurrected just last year.

The National Parks Commission was recently asked to vote on this zipline proposal. The following comments are from their formal letter of objection which, as of July 16, is an attachment to the application for the “Proposed Zipline Adventure Course in Southlands Park”.

The vote was as follows: three in favour, four against and two abstained. The commission provided the following feedback:

• We are concerned that Southlands Park is becoming too commercialised and that the public consultations are not being respected, as the majority of responses indicate that the public want little to nothing done with this park

• We are concerned that efforts to revitalise the park are too piecemeal and therefore not comprehensive

• Some members are not satisfied that the zip line would pose little risk to the environment

• We are concerned about the noise of the zipline activity impacting users of the park that want to enjoy a relaxing space

• With the above information, the National Parks Commission will not provide our advice of approval to the minister for this project

The Government asked for our feedback and they are certainly getting it. The public and all of our respected environmental groups have given reasonable and constructive feedback on this proposal, and there is no doubt that further consultation in the form of a “pause and reassess”’ action is needed.

I do find it disingenuous that the Government is reaching out to the people in what seems to be an effort of collaboration when in reality, it is “all systems go”.

Why do I say this? Because on the Department of Planning’s website, the application for the Southlands Zipline Adventure Course — ie, Plan No P0086-25 — is described as “Final Planning Application For Development. Status: In Review.”

BEVERLEY CONNELL

Pembroke