Final Letter - 8 July 2004

July 8, 2004

From: Brad Littleproud, Joanne Hague (Lead Preservationists)

Woodstock Preservation Alliance
www.thewood stockspirit.org

Dedicated to the Preservation of the Site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival

Dear Friends,
For several years, the Woodstock Preservationists have attempted to mitigate intrusion onto the original site of the 1969 Woodstock Music and Arts Fair, Bethel N.Y. by the Gerry Foundation's Bethel Woods Center for Arts. Although the plans to build on the site were challenged, alternatives suggested, and proper historic preservation documentation filed at State and Federal Historic Preservation offices, regrettably we announce that we have not been successful in protecting the site from unnecessary development.

On Sunday, June 27, 2004 without fan fair the Gerry Foundation unofficially broke ground for what could have been an exciting new chapter for Yasgur's old farm and Sullivan County. It is unfortunate however, that under the guise of benevolence that the developer has taken with the Town of Bethel and Sullivan County, lie serious issues of integrity in how they were given carte blanche to do as that would with this irreplaceable piece of global history. We thank everyone who supported our efforts to keep these final 38 acres pristine and natural, in the spirit of the festival, within the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. We ask that those approached by the Gerry Foundation or the press to comment on the Bethel Woods project carefully weight their feeling before giving credibility to what we have experienced as a "takeover" over of an icon, legend and legacy.

For those who wish to view more on what has taken place with our cause, or send a message to those who have supported an historically preserved Woodstock site, you can either visit the Woodstock Preservation Alliance at the website provided and post on the message board found by click the Preservation Information Center. Or reply to this email with a few words and thoughts and we will gladly post them for you. We are asking those who have websites, to turn their screens to black for 24 hours on the day of the official groundbreaking ceremony as a final statement on what has happened to this special place and the means by which it was accomplished. The date has not been announced, however it is some time in July and we will post the date on the website. We will try to send out a formal notice in advance.

In talking with our good friend Artie Kornfeld, Woodstock's co-creator and promoter, we thought that it might be appropriate to see if Woodstock would fit in any way into a category of induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. We will turn our sights to that endevour now, and may call upon your support to help further the cause of preserving one of the most remarkable happens of the 20th century.

Take care friends,
Brad Littleproud (Toronto, Ontario Canada) Joanne Hague (Blakely, PA)
Woodstock Preservation Alliance

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