City bails on negotiations to acquire what may be Toronto’s oldest tree

Thestar.com
February 28, 2019
Jason Miller

Edith George is unhappy that what may be the city’s oldest tree won’t get its own parkette, but she vows to continue her decade-old fight to get it the recognition it deserves.

“This is the Rolls-Royce of trees,” she said Wednesday. “Thirteen years I’ve dedicated to this oak tree and I’m not going to give up.”

The city has been looking into acquiring the tree since 2015.

George’s gloomy sentiments came Wednesday, on the heels of city staff walking away from negotiations to acquire the North York property that is home to the oak tree -- estimated by the city to be 250 years old. George contends it could be much older than city projections, ranging anywhere from 250 to 350 years.

City documents indicate that the city’s interest in the tree -- which easily predates Canada’s birth as a nation, according to an arboricultural assessment -- dates back to 2015, when staff started studying the feasibility of the acquisition.

“Staff have negotiated with the property owner over an approximate span of three months and were unable to agree on a purchase price for the property (located at 76 Coral Gable Dr.),” a city report, Tuesday, states.

City staff said talks with the owner were going nowhere.

As a result, several city departments including Real Estate Services, “are in agreement to cease pursuing the acquisition of the property,” the report reads.

George, 66, said she’s concerned this means the city has totally abandoned plans to purchase the site -- with the support of private donations -- with the aim of preserving and celebrating the heritage value of the towering tree, located around the corner from her home.

“This tree could tell so many stories about Canada,” she said. “None of the settlers that came before cut this tree down because they knew the importance of this tree.”

The oak is protected under the city’s private tree bylaw which requires homeowners to get approval from council before chopping it down.

The city report indicates the tree has been recognized as a heritage tree under the Forests Ontario’ program -- due to its size, age and cultural significance.

Realtor Waleed Khaled Elsayed told the Star he hasn’t totally given up on a deal being made.

“I would have liked to see it go through, but we’ll find another way,” Elsayed said. “There is nothing to say we can’t approach the city again.”

In a July Star article, Elsayed estimated the property value at about $750,000.

Though he would not divulge specifics about the negotiations, Elsayed said “my number was higher (than $750,000) when I went to the city.”

“We went back-and-forth a few times and I think at the end of it the number was $850,000,” said Elsayed of his asking price.

Elsayed corrected earlier statements he made about the tree’s roots threatening the structurally integrity of the house’s foundations.

“I was mistaken,” he said. “There is actually a retaining wall underground, that’s structurally strong and protects the house.”

Residents can rest assured that the tree is protected from the threat of being cut down, said Councillor Anthony Perruzza, who represents Ward 7, which is home to the tree.

“I don’t see under what circumstances the city would issue a permit to remove the tree, given that it is a heritage tree,” Perruzza said.

Even though staff is suggesting that the city avoid going out on a limb to gain ownership of the tree, Perruzza said there is still hope for city plans to build a parkette with the tree being the main feature.

“This is something we would like to do and that position continues to hold,” he said.