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Dear Sir,

I do not think Alexandrina Hall should be demolished.

If it was a building that was lying dormant and in need of major restoration, the argument could be made that it would cost more to fix and therefore, demolition is a cost effective tool.

Alexandrina Hall is not dormant but alive and well and pulsating with youthful energy and enthusiasm. Miss Harvey and her staff have a well balanced programme in place. It is not just about dance; the young people who come must maintain passing grades as education is of paramount importance to Miss Harvey.  

The children also are expected to support the community arm of United Dance Productions.  Clearly Miss Harvey, in tandem with the parents, is helping to shape these young people into being good citizens of this country and not future wall sitters. These young people are taught the almost extinct values of discipline, dedication and hard work through dance.

  I can make this a very lengthy response, but I am sure by now you have felt the sentiments of my heart.

I just want to end with a comment on those two buzzwords, 'sustainable development'. When I look at the meaning of sustainable, it means to support for a long time. Development is the process of bringing to an active, visible or mature state. Sustainable development, then, means to support for a long time to maturity. Sustainable development does not only refer to land but, also to lives.

Butterflies

I compare the young people at United Dance Productions to the butterfly. There are four stages to the developmental cycle of the butterfly; egg, larva, pupa and adult. The United Dance Productions also have a developmental cycle for the young people; Musical Theatre (egg), Intro To Dance (larva), Classical Ballet (pupa) and Pointe, Modern Dance, Hip Hop (adult).  

United Dance Productions have been at Alexandrina Hall for seventeen years, so you know there are butterflies who have already flown from there.

  To demolish Alexandrina Hall, is to demolish a positive niche for our young people and the still to be born young people who will want to express themselves through dance.  

That result can never be embraced as sustainable development.

Judith Parsons

Pembroke[[In-content Ad]]

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