Nature Center Mtg Nov 10

At 7pm Nov. 10 at the Nature Center, the Board of Directors will listen to comments and suggestions from residents on the fate of the Nature Center. I was told that the original plans for installing a Nature Center are being reconsidered by Van Metre, and apparently a few residents are pushing to make the building into another rentable party facility like the Community Center. [edit - as Neil and Cliff clarified below, it is an HOA Board, not Van Metre, decision - and also party rentals are no longer being considered, just HOA-sponsored community events.]

If you can attend, please help save the Nature Center for the purpose it was designed for. If you can't attend, please let the Board of Directors know what you think.

In my opinion, having a true, dedicated Nature Center is a major part of what defines Broadlands and sets it apart from the rest of Ashburn. Broadlands’ interest in the environment and the animals and plants around us is what drew my family to the community in the first place, continues to be my favorite quality about our neighborhood, and the one thing that draws all of Broadlands together as a community with a shared sentiment.

[paragraph about rentals deleted. I do not think the HOA should rent out this building but Cliff says that it has already voted against renting it out.]

I hope the Board will keep the Nature Center dedicated to that purpose ... and provide as much support as possible to the development of exhibits and programming.

 

A bit of a correction here. Van Metre has no say (other than their members on the HOA board) about what this building is going to be used for. It does come down to what the ENTIRE community needs and wants, not just a vocal few.





Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

Audrey-
The Board has no intentions of "renting" the Nature Center building.
This is one point we already agreed on.
Cliff

 

While I agree with your intentions on the use of the Nature Center for its original purpose, I cannot agree with your assertions that there is a true dedication to the environment by the developer, particularly in the Southern Walk area that houses the Nature Center. As one of the early residents to move in near the Nature Center, I have seen tree after tree felled in the interest of squeezing in more houses/revenue. While I agree that there is still plenty of natural beauty surrounding us, I do not feel that Van Metre has done anything to enhance it. Quite the contrary actually.

What kind of a "true, dedicated Nature Center" would really have man-made rocks and waterfall in front of it? Couldn't they have retained some of the forest that has now been replaced by countless houses? The other side of Broadlands seems to have been developed with more of natural thought in mind with the trails winding through the woods and rocks. Now, "nature" seems to be more marketing than reality. Van Metre may be richer, but are we?

So I applaud any efforts to keep the Nature Center focused on the environment, rather than more $$$. However, why can't this same thought be put into future development of our real environment. Just a thought...

 

I agree with Steveruns26 regarding the lack of tree retention in the SouthernWalk section of Broadlands. Just look at the site plan: http://hoa.broadlands.org/hoa/calendar/maps/siteplan-0208.jpg
In the north side (above Waxpool) you'll find sections separated by lines of old growth trees. The difference is not because North is older and the trees have grown, the difference is by Van Metre design to maximize the number of sellable lots in Southern Walk.

The Nature Center should become a Fitness Center since Southern Walk residents have no network of trails and parks to use for fitness. One of Ashburn Villages greatest assets is its Fitness Center. Many other Communities build pool/community centers that have a fitness area inside. Either use the old Community Center on Waxpool for renting out to events and make the Nature Center a Fitness Center or visa versa.