Almost 60 trees have been or are being cut down along Hurontario Street between Lockhart Road and Tracey Lane to make way for a new sidewalk.
The sidewalk is part of the town’s construction project at the intersection of Hurontario, Lockhart and Campbell Streets. The town is adding turning lanes to that area.
Director of engineering, environmental services, and public works, Peggy Slama, gave council an update on the project last night during a special council meeting.
She said the town is removing 59 trees and will be replanting 118 trees as per a council order made late last year to replace each tree removed with two new trees.
All 118 trees won’t fit in the same space, though.
“Some will be planted along Hurontario Street, some on Findlay Drive, some along Highway 26 east, others at Legion Park, and some other areas around town,” said Slama during the meeting last night.
Based on staff reports in 2019, the trees had to be removed so the sidewalk could be the proper size and could be 2.5 metres away from the cub to allow room to store snow.
Early estimates for the new sidewalk and tree removal indicated the project would cost about $250,000, and in 2019, town staff estimated it would cost another $65,000 to add the extra trees ordered by council.
According to town staff, the 59 trees removed include 46 Scots Pine, one Green Ash, two White Ash, four American Elm, two Manitoba Maple, one Silver Maple, two European Buckthorn, and one Norway Maple.
Hurontario Street between Lockhart Road and Tracey Lane is currently a construction zone with lane reductions in place.
-With files from Jessica Owen
