Jan 16, 2008 07:22 PM
Residents protest planned sale of observatory
By: David Fleischer
Songs were sung, placards were hoisted and speeches were made, but it remains to be seen if a rally by those hoping to save the David Dunlap Observatory will make a difference.
A crowd of more than 100 braved the cold yesterday at Queen?s Park.
?Our voices will be heard and we are here to tell the University of Toronto that we will not be ignored,? said Karen Cilevitz, a Thornhill resident and amateur astronomer.
?They have forgotten the legacy of this park, given to the citizens of this province,? Richmond Hill Naturalists president Marianne Yake said.
?This park is our park,? she said, the phrase then chanted by the crowd in unison.
In 1932, the lands were donated to the school by Jessie Donalda Dunlap in memory of her husband, on the condition they be used for the study of astronomy.
?A perfectly viable facility is about to be closed ... ridiculous,? said Dr. Ian Shelton, who worked at the observatory and identified a rare supernova in 1987.
?The telescope is not 72 years old, it is 72 years young.?
The university says light pollution has affected the telescope?s efficacy, but Mr. Shelton, and Prof. Tom Bolton adamantly disagree.
?For 25 years, the university has held the observatory back from being all we could be,? said Mr. Bolton from beneath a Blue Jays cap and behind a striped scarf.
?It is ridiculous that the University of Toronto has set such an aggressive schedule.?
In October, U of T?s governing council voted to declare the buildings and the 190 acres of land surplus.
They set Feb. 15 as the closing date for bids from interested buyers and hope to have a sale closed by July.
The Town of Richmond Hill has applied to have the buildings designated as heritage sites, putting the fate of the lands largely in the hands of government officials.
Politicians from virtually every level of government, and every political stripe united in their desire to stop, or at least slow the sale.
?If he has anything to do with it, we will save the Dunlap Observatory,? said Jason Cherniack, president of the Liberal party?s Richmond Hill riding association, on behalf of MP Bryon Wilfert, who is in Japan.
Thornhill MPP Peter Shurman offered his support, saying he has been contacted by people as far away as Muskoka.
?You have many friends in this building working on your behalf,? Mr. Shurman told the crowd.
Richmond Hill Mayor Dave Barrow was unable to attend, but Councillor Godwin Chan offered support on his behalf.
Like Mr. Bolton, the mayor has said the university?s timeline has put them at a great disadvantage in their efforts to save the lands from development.
Provincial Green Party candidate Liz Couture spoke about the ecological diversity of the site and said she hoped all levels of government would back up their verbal support with action.
?We should feel outraged at this process,? said CS Leung, the federal Conservative candidate for the riding.
He wondered if the university considered the site?s scientific legacy or merely thought about money.
Richmond Hill MPP Reza Moridi then spoke, saying Willowdale MPP David Zimmer was also in support of their efforts.
Mr. Moridi accepted petitions with more than 4,000 signatures and organizers said there are a further 1,900 signatures on an Internet petition.
?What does democracy look like? Here is what democracy looks like,? said Dr. Toomas Karmo, a researcher at the observatory, holding the petitions aloft.
The crowed echoed his chant.
Among the most vocal protesters were the 39 students from the Richmond Hill Montessori School, located just south of the observatory.
?We circulated petitions and got over 600 petitions signed between Friday and Monday,? said their science teacher, Sonya Dekster.
?I?m hoping the kids understand the importance of standing for something you believe in,? Ms Dexter said.
The protest closed with the singing of ?Amazing Place,? a tribute to the site sung to the tune of ?Amazing Grace.?
Lead by a bagpiper, dozens of protesters marched around the legislature and across the university grounds to its head office, Simcoe Hall.
They were met by Catherine Riggall, the school?s vice-president of business affairs, and the petitions were presented to her as well.
Allowed to ask only one question of Ms Riggall, Mr. Karmo asked whether the university would extend their deadline so a proper response could be organized.
?An RFP (request for proposals) for the sale of the property and lands was issued in November and will close, as planned, on Feb. 15,? said Ms Riggall, who thanked the crowd for their concern.
The sale will allow the Dunlap family?s gift to be reinvigorated and enable U of T to deliver on its academic purpose, Ms Riggall said.
Those present responded with jeers, with Mr. Karmo saying they had been led to believe there would be substantive news.
The crowd resumed its democracy cheer as the petitions were handed over.
Despite the setback, most were not surprised and are looking to the government to reign in the university.
?I?m glad so many politicians came out and voiced their support,? said Matthew Calaminici founder of the SavetheDDO.org.
?Hopefully, they?ll actually do something. We saw today that by the university?s good graces we?re not going to get what we want.?
Mr. Karmo expressed outrage and felt the crowd had justice on their side.
?The university is an institution dedicated to the pursuit of truth,? said Mr. Karmo.
?Truth cuts like a knife. Truth is sharp like a needle.?