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Updated: Landmark Trees Removed from Neighborhood!

 
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Maurice
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Joined: 08 Jul 2006
Posts: 185

PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 12:43 am    Post subject: Updated: Landmark Trees Removed from Neighborhood! Reply with quote

Outrage: "Landmark" Trees Removed From Neighborhood!


By Dave Getchell, Singer/Songwriter and Journalist
Location: Toronto, Canada





I tend to travel to work each day along the same route, and pass the site where the “Knob Hill food Terminal” at Eglinton and Pharmacy/Warden used to be, each day, the string of trees that lined the roadside was a welcome sight, and some years after the buildings in the background were reduced to rubble, the trees stood next to the avenue in their glory.



These trees left, to me, a strong image of either survival or impending doom depending on the how positive one’s point of view was and I would have like to have taken these photos in winter with the background rubble piles providing further contrast.



Sometime this week these trees were taken from the landscape, islands of beauty in an ever-crowding-oxygen-starved city were excised to make way for a new place to shop.



The business that takes up residence on that space need not try to defend its action, I will not support them!



Dave Getchell May 25, 2006
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Maurice
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Joined: 08 Jul 2006
Posts: 185

PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 12:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

When Dave submitted this report, I initially held off posting it because I thought that the trees were probably relocated as the city had a by-law in place protecting trees over 30cm of diameter. I decided to poke around the site and determine for myself if, in fact, those trees were destroyed. The picture below raises some questions for me now:





Here is a picture of the location where Dave took the first photo which clearly shows the tree removed and a pond where the root structure would have been:







With the above evidence, Dave's fears may have been correct. This story will require more investigation as to what happened to the trees. There is an ambiguity in the city notice that does not answer to question of final disposition. So even though I have passed on much of the reporting/newspaper duties to Mark Herbert; I will don my reporter's cap and see what actually did happen to those trees. The City Of Toronto gave their "blessing" to the developers to do this and so we will hold the city responsible for any actions that fall outside of the spirit of the by-law that was put into place to protect large trees. Perhaps the trees have been relocated and not destroyed, but that still does not answer why they had to be removed. Dave is a resident of this area, and I take his concerns as to the future vision of his neighborhood seriously. I am by no means a "tree hugger" - but there is enough here to even make me question the "whys" of the city in this matter.

More as it becomes available.

Maurice Ali, Journalist
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Maurice
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Joined: 08 Jul 2006
Posts: 185

PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 12:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just an update:

Dave's fears about the ultimate fate of the trees seems to be correct. In discussion with City Of Toronto employees at the office building at 18 Dyas Road here in Toronto; it was revealed to me that the trees of the size found at that site in question, had to have been destroyed as the root structure is several times that of the tree structure above ground. The petition to remove/destroy the trees was processed and a date for objections was granted, the developers were given the go ahead and a payment of 588.00 dollars was forwarded to the City Of Toronto for every tree removed. Seventeen trees were removed.

From the monies received for each tree is the promise that one tree will be planted for each tree destroyed; either in the same general location or outside of the property in question with9in three to six months. The new trees are the six foot tall variety used in residential housing. The removal of the trees at this site may have been required by city developers and bylaws requireing entry and egress from the property for the new retail location soon to be built there. My formal call to City of Toronto officials was greeted with a "full mailbox message. If more information is obtained from the city; it will be updated here. That is the status of the story as it stands on this date: June 8, 2006


Maurice Ali, Journalist
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