Trees for Queen Street go to budget talks

SaultStar.com
Feb. 23, 2016
Elaine Della-Mattia,

Replacing the dead trees on Queen Street killed by the Emerald Ash Borer will cost the city about $2 million, council was told Monday.

In addition, installing pedestrian scale lights along the same downtown corridor is estimated to cost another $1.2 million, council was told.

The request for funding from the engineering and planning departments will be deliberated at budget time.

City staff recommends that the tree replacement strategy be implemented over the next three years but part of the 2016 budget deliberations.

A report to city council states that the majority of trees on Queen Street between Bruce and East streets are dead and those that are not, will be within the next year, or are structurally weak and could fall in a weather event.

The estimated replacement budget also includes the implementation of a series of street furnishings designed to enhance the character and function of Queen Street.

Last year, city staff replaced trees between Dennis and Bruce Streets with different tree species that could tolerate urban growing conditions. The replacement of the planter boxes to a root trenching system was also used to avoid an obstruction for service vehicles and keeps the area cleaner, the report said.

Under that system, the greater amount of soil volume, the greater potential for the tree to grow larger.

Planting new trees was identified as a need under the city's Downtown Development Initiative. Without the trees, Queen Street looks bare and desolate and leaves property owners in a tough spot, council was told.

An open house in June unveiled the plan that would see the removal of the dead trees and the replacement of other species, along with new pillar lighting.

At that time, some open house participants complained the design did not have a 'wow factor' but were reminded that the city was working within a limited budget.

The Downtown Association also said at the time that it wants to be involved in other improvements in the downtown area too. The association has said it wants to develop better partnerships with the city as it moves forward.