O'Brien farm ideas floated at public meeting

From a petting zoo to a working farm, sleigh rides to a place to celebrate a dialect of the Irish language, there are no shortage of ideas for the future of the O'Brien farm in St. John's.

The farm, on Oxen Pond Road, operated from the 1800s until Aly O'Brien died in 2008.

Wednesdaynight, people had a chance to make suggestions on how the land should be used.

Gillian Janes, whogrew up next to the O'Brien farm, is one of dozens of people who showed up at the public meeting. Like many of those in attendance, Janes is eager to see the land farmed again.

"A working farm or a preserved farm that the public could visit definitely not developed," Janes said. "We don't need another Tim Hortons."

Peter Halley of the Newfoundland Pony Association has his own ideas: "Sleigh rides, pony rides, petting zoo, and having people come and learn about the ponies."

Many, like Mary Moylan, hope the farm's future will reflect the memory of Aly O'Brien.

"I'd like to see it as an operating farm, off the grid if possible, and in commemoration of him," Moylan said. "And some efforts [should be] made as well to re-establish the Munster Irish language, because he was the last known Irish speaker of that particular dialect in the world."

Other ideas include botanical gardens, community gardens and a museum.

The O'Brien Farm Foundation plans to hold another public meeting before coming up with a final plan for the 200-year-old property.

Foundation board member Shane O'Dea said whatever happens will comply with Aly O'Brien's dying wishes.

"Preservation of the farm, the landscape and then a recollection or a celebration on that landscape of Irish farming, and farming in Newfoundland," ODea said.

The foundation said it could take up to two years before the historic property is brought back to life.