A local woman is disappointed that a number of trees lining Lake Couchiching have been removed by the city.
While out on her morning bike ride yesterday, MJ Pollak said she noticed workers removing a number of trees, as well as juniper bushes, along the path in front of the Orillia Legion.
“I (went) down yesterday … and saw that they've taken down (a number of) trees ... and I don't think we should be cutting trees unnecessarily,” she told OrilliaMatters.
Pollak said she approached the workers, who told her the trees were being removed and replaced.
“They said it's going to be all tidied up and look pretty, and … they seemed to be pretty sure I was gonna like it,” she said.
However, Pollak said she has seen a number of trees removed in the downtown area in the past few years — a practice she disagrees with.
“They cut down all the trees on the way from Front Street down to the harbour a couple of years ago,” she said. “They said it’s because there was going to be work done. Now the work is finally done, two years later, so those trees could have been contributing their goodness to the environment all that time.”
City officials said the trees are being removed as part of an approved capital project.
“The work being completed is part of an approved capital project to remove the raised planter and repair the garden area in Veterans’ Memorial Park across from the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 34,” said John McMullen, the city's manager of parks, planning and development.
“The project includes removal of the raised planting bed, new garden plantings, sod, and seating.”
McMullen said five trees were removed as a result of complications with the planter on site.
“The (juniper) shrubs, which had to be removed as they had reached the end of its lifespan, were co-mingled with the root systems of the trees and this resulted in the need for removal,” he said. “There are five trees being planted as a replacement.”
He said the project should be completed and cleaned up by next week, and the area should be open to the public again in the spring.
“After the landscape construction is completed with tree planting, sod, and benches, the area will remain fenced off so that the sod has time to establish prior to opening the area up to the public in the spring,” he said. “The adjacent asphalt pathway will remain open and available for public use.”
