First public meeting on Harvard-Westlake plan is over! Hundreds of residents showed up! Thank you to all those who came out and made your voice heard. This is just the beginning!
On October 1st, 2019, SCRA and SLAROS organized a special community meeting to have Harvard-Westlake present their draft plan for their athletic facilities on the Weddington Golf and Tennis site.
Harvard Westlake flooded the audience with alumni and parents but at the conclusion of the opening presentation photographs of the audience indicated that many in the HW block of supporters had left. Over 240 SCRA and SLAROS members remained. One SCRA member challenged Harvard Westlake on the school motto which when translated says “They can because they think they can.” Perhaps that may provide an explanation why nothing new was learned that evening.
The meeting was called to engage directly with Harvard-Westlake on their intended uses for this property, their commitment to preserving open green space, their intention to allow public access to portions of their athletics center, and, most importantly, to hear how they will protect the community from adverse impacts and acknowledge that Harvard Westlake will respect the community’s desires by maintaining the tranquility of the property. These issues are still unresolved.
SCRA will continue to demand Harvard Westlake respond on the use of the gym with its three basketball courts. Who will use of 500 underground parking spaces. The use of the Olympic Size Swimming pool, and the bleachers at the sports fields; questions about open space and what facilities will be open to the public.
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Video Clips from SCRA/SLAROS Oct. 1 Special Meeting re: HW Development of Weddington
For those of you who were unable to attend the meeting, or anyone who wants to see it again, video clips are now viewable on the SLAROS website (savelariveropenspace.org) under the NEWS tab. The videos are:
- Opening remarks
- Harvard-Westlake presentation
- Closing remarks
- 8 short clips of the questions/remarks from audience with responses from HW.
Be sure to view the Closing remarks by SCRA/SLAROS President Alan Dymond.
Stay tuned for updates!