About 50 students and teachers from Dartmouth High School braved the pouring rain Thursday to stage a protest in the Dartmouth Common.
Carrying lime green signs and umbrellas as they walked through puddle-filled green space along Nantucket Avenue, the demonstrators rallied against a Metro Transit bus terminal that, when built, will occupy six acres of land. The new terminal will have 16 bays to accommodate the 18 routes it serves.
The current terminal serves more than 17,000 people and is inadequate to serve transit demands, said Metro Transit spokesperson Lori Patterson.
“People are getting the sense that this is their land and they should have a say in what goes on, and have a feel for green space because it is very important for the environment,” said student Jacob Larkin, one of the protest planners.
The students are concerned with the environmental impact of losing the green space, but also about safety.
“They say it’s going to be the largest (bus terminal) east of Montreal and it’s just going to be a safety issue for the school, having that many adults and strangers so close to the school,” said Dartmouth student Victoria Coig.
Patterson said the new bus station will be built in an environmentally friendly way, according to LEED standards, and Metro Transit will keep as much green space as possible.
