We, the undersigned residents of Barrie and Simcoe County, petition the Simcoe County District School Board to cancel their plans to waste our tax dollars to destroy a 1.4 acre lot of mature, mixed species forest, in order to construct a practise soccer field, on the property of Bear Creek Secondary School. Currently, the school owns a pristine, regulation sized football field, which compared to other area schools, is underutilized. Also, there is a public soccer field available within walking distance of Bear Creek S.S. This unnecessary field would irreversibly damage a property which has significant impact on the bio-diversity of this ecosystem, since, although it is zoned institutional, it comprises a portion of The Allandale Lake Algonquin Bluffs, an Area of Natural Scientific Interest. Demolishing this forest flies in the face of every effort and gain being made in the area of environmental stewardship, a duty that should first and foremost be borne by those entrusted with educating and role modeling for our children. The Board must set an example, given the huge public awareness to the plight of global warming and the role that forested areas play in reducing CO2 emissions, among many other crucial effects. Following through on this plan would be fiscally and environmentally irresponsible of the Board, and directly contravenes the Board\'s own environmental policy, set in April 1996. As taxpayers and eligible voters, we ask the Board to halt these proceedings, given the fact that a spare soccer field is a luxury, which must not supersede our need to protect our environment.

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