Letter: West property should be preserved

To the editor:
   
The West property is a magnificent piece of open space that provides the perfect blend of forest, field and riparian habitat right in Cranbury’s backyard. Last year, the Environmental Commission proposed making the West property a permanent natural preserve that would offer residents and visitors of all ages for generations to come a very special place to learn about the area’s environment and history. It would provide an invaluable place for passive recreation and would be an enduring and solidly beneficial asset that few municipalities can hope to have.
   Isn’t it interesting that while Cranbury and the state are doing their best to protect open space for future generations, the Board of Education has asked that an additional 20 acres of the West property be set aside for future educational needs? This represents an area approximately four times the size of the soccer fields already on the West property. It is understandable that the Board has the best interests of the Cranbury students and staff in mind, but it is setting a poor example by creating its own mini sprawl. It is unfortunate that the structural constraints made it impossible to add a second story to the existing school additions but the third and latest addition doesn’t seem to be any different.
   Perhaps the Board of Education could be more creative as it contemplates Cranbury’s future educational needs and might consider the environmental, physical and spiritual needs of the community as well. A West preserve would be a priceless resource for generations to come. The more of it the better.
Anna Drago

Cranbury