Nostalgic, CSL Urban Agriculture plan adopted

Councillor Ruth Kovac, Mayor Anthony Housefather and Councillor Glenn J. Nashen celebrating adoption of the CSL urban agriculture initiative

The goals and principles stated in the Food Charter set the tone for all the “Côte Saint-Luc Grown” initiatives. Over the coming weeks and months, residents of all ages will have the opportunity to participate in urban agriculture, in whatever ways suit their lifestyle. They can sign up for a space in one of our new community gardens or plant their own backyard or balcony garden. They can participate in gardening classes at the library and get involved with the demonstration garden located behind it. People can shop at the CSL farmers’ market, subscribe to a food basket, and more.

All these initiatives, the brainchild of City Manager Tanya Abramovitch, are further explained in a comprehensive document available on the city’s website in English and in French.

I was pleased to support the adoption of this plan, as seconder at this week’s public council meeting.  The notion of growing and buying one’s food close to where they live is gaining traction as the rebirth of an olden day practice.

I recall the stories of my grandfather, Avrum Nachshen, the fruit wholesaler, who would buy boxes of apples, pears, oranges, lettuce, carrots… from the importers located at the fruit terminal on Richmond St.   He would service his customers at grocery stores throughout the city. This was his occupation from 1928 until about 1960.

As well, his brother, my Uncle Motle, had a grocery store called M. Nachshen.  (He was located on Duluth at the corner of City Hall, now Hotel de Ville in the 1930s and 1940s, then moved to Cuthbert, corner Clark, until about 1950, St. Lawrence near Villenneuve until 1970).  He specialized, and was famous for his sour pickles.

Then there was my Uncle Fred Schertzer who would pull up to our house on Cork Ave always with a trunk full of fresh fruit and veggies from the Marché Central.

So it seems appropriate, and somewhat nostalgic, for me to support this excellent initiative.  You can see it’s part of my roots!

Yield signs will replace stop signs in Beaconsfield

Less frustration for motorists.  Less pollution in our neighbourhoods. Still safe for pedestrians. Good idea or madness?

Beaconsfield will soon be replacing stop signs with yield signs, improving the flow of traffic on their side streets. This somewhat off-beat sounding method is the norm in many jurisdictions outside of Quebec.

When I first saw this kind of setup 25 years ago in Winnipeg I thought it was kukoo.  But lately we’re seeing roundabouts make an appearance in Quebec and so this yield sign craze might just take off too.

Can it work in Cote Saint-Luc? It’s worth watching Beaconsfield and studying the situation here at home.  I’ll be bringing this idea to our Transportation committee to ask our experts what they think.

Meanwhile, what do you think?  Please offer your input by clicking comment.

Read the Gazette article here: Yield signs will replace stop signs in Beaconsfield | West Island Gazette.

Bilingual McDonald’s coming to CSL Shopping Centre

McDonald’s concept coming to the CSL Shopping Centre

Cote Saint-Luc is about to get its first drive-through restaurant.  McDonald’s will be building a restaurant on Cote Saint-Luc Road at the Shopping Centre. Council gave final approval at its public meeting last night.

I was pleased to have pointed out that its signage plans were only in French and that the city ought to recommend that the fast food giant consider adding English wording. Mayor Housefather immediately directed that city staff encourage the company to reconsider their signage plan. The mayor and I, former president and executive director, respectively, of Quebec’s English language rights lobby, are very sensitive about promoting bilingualism, particularly with commercial signs.

One of many bilingual signs coming to McDonald’s Cote Saint-Luc

To their credit, and to our great pleasure, McDonald’s agreed to avail themselves to the provision in Bill 101, the Charter of the French Language, which allows for languages other than French on commercial signs provided that French predominates.

“Cote Saint-Luc is likely the only municipality in Quebec to make such recommendations.  Given the government’s efforts through Bill 14 to wipe out English I am proud that Cote Saint-Luc has taken such action to encourage businesses to comply with the law in displaying English,” Housefather said.

In related news, by chance last week I met Target Canada’s new director of  government affairs.  I mentioned that I noticed that recruitment signs were only in French and said I hoped that new Target stores would carry English on their signage in neighbourhoods with English-speaking communities, such as the West Island, Lasalle and elsewhere.  The Target executive assured me that English would appear on their signs in the appropriate neighbourhoods.

 

Meadowbrook friends propose heritage park

Free Press. May 8, 2013. Click to enlarge.

Letter: Keep Meadowbrook for recreation

Re: ‘Beautiful future’ proposed for site of golf course” (Gazette, April 24)

Meadowbrook is an 18-hole golf course completed after the Second World War. It was originally a private course for CP employees, but in 1970 was made a public course for all to enjoy. The front nine is in Lachine, the back nine in Côte St-Luc. The land is currently owned by Groupe Pacific and their intention is to turn it into a $150 million real estate bonanza.

Fortunately, the demand is not there because of market forces, the economy and geography. Côte St-Luc took has long realized Meadowbrook is a precious green space and has zoned it as a golf course. Bravo! Lachine is guided by the all-mighty dollar and has not closed the door to real estate. Shame! The Meadowbrook Golf Club leases the land on a seasonal basis and runs the course from spring to fall.

Most Montrealers agree Meadowbrook is a jewel that must be preserved. Building houses and condos is about the last thing that should be done, nor is there a need. For a landowner to even contemplate this option is an affront to our fragile ecology, and a disservice to future generations.

A recent article in the Gazette described plans to turn the golf course into a nature park. This would of course be paid for by governments whose debts are in the billions, and whose infrastructure is literally crumbling. The island of Montreal has many nature parks. Mount Royal, Cap St. Jacques, Angrignon, Lafontaine and the Botanical Gardens are some of the larger ones, with many smaller parks in every borough and suburb. As well, off-island there are many more beautiful parks only a short drive away. Do we really need another one at Meadowbrook, and is it worth spending millions of taxpayer dollars to build?

What’s wrong with keeping Meadowbrook as a golf course? The number of golf courses on the island has been decreasing steadily over the past 30 years, with only a handful left. Of recent, Dorval has been cut in half and the Challenger has disappeared. Per capita, Montreal probably has the lowest number of public golf courses of any large Canadian city. This is nothing to brag about for a city that prides itself on sport and recreation, nor for a population whose obesity rate is 25 per cent (BMI over 29) and diabetes rate 8 per cent, and both climbing. Golf courses are good for body and soul, and the environment.

As a golf course, Meadowbrook has seen better days. The course needs improvement and the clubhouse is barely hanging on. The Meadowbrook Golf Club is reluctant to invest the big bucks because it never knows its fate the following year. This cycle of neglect must be stopped.

Meadowbrook needs a new perennial vision of recreation, sport and health promotion. The golf course should remain, but much more can be done over the four seasons. Cross-country skiing, skating, fitness, theatre, bike paths and nature trails can all be worked into the fabric of Meadowbrook. Place for social activities and gatherings can be found, and weddings could be celebrated on a refreshing green space. A train station could be built, and the STM could stop there, too. The sky’s the limit for Meadowbrook, as long as government decides real estate will never be built. Let’s get Montreal and Quebec to make this commitment so that a great future can begin.

Norman Sabin

N.D.G.

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Letter+Keep+Meadowbrook+recreation/8320576/story.html#ixzz2SEW7gdCM

In my opinion:

An excellent letter by Norm Sabin.  He presents a cogent and practical solution that benefits more than just golfers. The important element is to have the certainty that Meadowbrook will indeed be preserved as green space, as we have done on the Cote Saint-Luc side by zoning it golf course, long ago.

Related articles

• A vision for Meadowbrook: An urban nature heritage park, accessible to all (gjnashen.wordpress.com)

Jane’s Walk this weekend in CSL

 

The City of Côte Saint-Luc will be home to one of 50 neighbourhood walking tours around the island of Montreal on May 4 and 5, 2013, as part of the annual Jane’s Walk event across North America and the world.

Councillors Dida Berku and Steven Erdelyi, and David Fletcher of the Green Coalition will be leading the two-hour tour “Meadowbrook: A Treasure to Discover” on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5, 2013 at 11 am starting at Richard Schwartz Park (Côte Saint-Luc Rd. at Westluke Ave., bus route 103). The walk is free of charge, but participants are encouraged to RSVP at dberku@cotesaintluc.org.

The Montreal-area walks are organized by the Montreal Urban Ecology Centre (www.urbanecology.net/walks).

Jane’s Walk is a series of free neighbourhood walking tours that helps put people in touch with their environment and with each other, by bridging social and geographic gaps and creating a space for cities to discover themselves. Since its inception in 2007, Jane’s Walk has happened in cities across North America, and is growing internationally.

Jane’s Walk honours the legacy and ideas of urban activist and writer Jane Jacobs who championed the interests of local residents and pedestrians over a car-centred approach to planning. Jane’s Walk helps knit people together into a strong and resourceful community, instilling belonging and encouraging civic leadership.

Read more:

Meadowbrook preservation highlighted in Jane’s Walk 2012

 

CSL launches urban agriculture / Arigriculture urbaine à CSL

Last week the City of Cote Saint-Luc launched its urban agriculture initiative.  Un aperçu général de l’agriculture urbaine dans la ville de Côte Saint-Luc.  Presented by Mayor Anthony Housefather, Councillor Dida Berku and City Manager Tanya Abramovich.

Related articles

• Côte Saint-Luc launches first-in-Quebec urban agriculture initiative (gjnashen.wordpress.com)

Opinion: Growing healthy communities

English: A small urban agriculture project in Amsterdam (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Côte-Saint-Luc project aims to connect people with their food – and with each other

BY ANTHONY HOUSEFATHER AND TANYA ABRAMOVITCH, SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE

APRIL 23, 2013

MONTREAL – Imagine strolling through a park and plucking a ripe fruit off a tree as you pass by. In the not-too-distant future, this will be reality in the city of Côte-Saint-Luc. In the years to come, however, it will probably be a common sight in most cities across North America. Even in climates like ours.

Edible landscaping is just one element of urban agriculture, which is the practice of growing food in or around a city. On Thursday of last week, Côte-Saint-Luc launched its urban-agriculture initiative, which we’ve dubbed Côte-Saint-Luc Grown.

Our goal is to better connect people with their food, and also with one another. Food is one language that everyone has in common, and therefore activities that revolve around it are especially useful in growing not just healthy people, but healthy communities. Unlike other levels of government, municipalities have a unique opportunity to help shape and improve the habits of their residents because we interact with them on a daily basis. We provide recreational activities — and now in Côte-Saint-Luc we will be providing nutritional ones as well.

While we may be first in Quebec to adopt a Food Charter and a comprehensive urban-agriculture program, we are not pioneers. We are following in the footsteps of San Francisco, Toronto, New York and Todmorden, a village of 17,000 in the United Kingdom. Pam Warhurst co-founded Incredible Edible Todmorden, a food partnership that encourages community engagement through local growing. Watch her TED Talk presentation at Ted.com and you’ll understand how urban agriculture can have profound and positive effects on a community of any size.

Accessible to all, urban agriculture is the epitome of resilience and sustainability. Anyone, young or old, can participate and reap its numerous benefits, most importantly improved health and wellness, food cost savings, and social interaction. The environmental benefits and economic benefits are also significant.

During the Second World War, 40 per cent of what people ate was grown in their backyards; there is no reason we cannot attain that figure again. Municipalities can support urban agriculture by providing access to land, offering gardening courses, planting edible landscapes, and encouraging farmers’ markets, among other things. In Côte-Saint-Luc, we will be doing all these things and more in 2013.

Somewhere along the line, widespread knowledge about planting and gardening was lost. Things our great-grandparents knew about growing tomatoes or basil didn’t make to our generation. Cities can re-establish that lost knowledge, and make sure locally grown fruits and vegetables are part of our future. Cities needn’t be the size of Toronto to embark in urban agriculture; they just need to recognize its value to the communities of not just today, but tomorrow as well.

For more information, visit CSLGrown.org.

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

Related articles

• Côte Saint-Luc launches first-in-Quebec urban agriculture initiative (gjnashen.wordpress.com)

‘Beautiful future’ proposed for site of Meadowbrook golf course

By Monique Beaudin, Gazette environment reporter April 23, 2013

MONTREAL — Bike paths, lookouts with views of Mount Royal and Lac Saint-Louis, silver maple forests, community gardens, cross-country ski and snowshoe trails.

That is how two Montreal environmental groups envision a new nature park they say could be built on the west-end Meadowbrook golf course.

“We think Meadowbrook has a beautiful future as a park for all Montrealers,” said Coralie Deny of the Conseil regional de l’environnement. “We want to make people dream. But we are convinced that this is a dream that can become reality in a few years.”

The 57-hectare golf course is privately owned by Groupe Pacific Inc., which in November filed a request to the city for a residential project on the property. Montreal had previously rejected its plan for a 1,500-unit housing project on part of the site because the infrastructure costs were too high.

The golf course straddles the city of Côte St. Luc and the Montreal borough of Lachine.

The area around the golf course has a dearth of green spaces, which is why the golf course should be converted to a park, Deny said.

Although the land has been used a golf course, with strategic planting it could become a preserve of biodiversity for the island of Montreal, said Patrick Asch of Les Amis de Meadowbrook. The site has different habitats — meadows, forests, wetlands and the Little St. Pierre River and is located on a bird migration route.

The city of Montreal will study the proposed park project, said Josée Duplessis, the executive-committee member in charge of sustainable development. Duplessis applauded the two groups for coming up with the plan, which was the result of a workshop held in December with urban planners, environmentalists, municipal officials and citizens.

“We have a new generation of ecologists who, instead of just demanding projects from public officials, present real, concrete projects that can be worked on,” Duplessis said.

The opposition Vision Montreal party called on the city to prioritize the project, and require all city departments to study it, party spokesperson Olivier Lapierre said.

“For years now this dossier has been stagnating,” he said. “We want all those city civil servants to have a copy of this document in order to find solutions … that can benefit Montreal taxpayers, but also benefit Montrealers who need access to quality green spaces.”

He pointed to the fact that other parks — such as Maisonneuve and Lafontaine — were once golf courses, so his party believes that Meadowbrook has a good chance of becoming a new park.

For nearly 25 years, debate has swirled over a series of plans to build houses on the golf course.

In 2009, a committee of Montreal’s agglomeration council recommended that Meadowbrook be turned into a nature park as part of a greenbelt that would include the Falaise St. Jacques in southern Notre Dame de Grâce.

In November, Groupe Pacific filed a building-permit request with the Lachine borough for a residential development, Duplessis said. But Montreal maintains the infrastructure costs are too high for that project.

Turning the golf course into a park does not necessarily require the city to buy the property, Duplessis said. There are issues about whether it could actually be built on, she said, pointing to the fact that it is in a flood zone and located next to the largest train yards on the island, Duplessis said.

“There are many things to look at,” she said.

mbeaudin@montrealgazette.com

Twitter: @moniquebeaudin

See the comparative map and drawings:  Two visions for Meadowbrook Golf Course

A vision for Meadowbrook: An urban nature heritage park, accessible to all

Photo credit: Nigel Dove, Les Amis de Meadowbrook

This afternoon I attended a press conference outlining a vision for Meadowbrook along with Councillor Dida Berku. Les Amis de Meadowbrook, along with the Conseil regional de l’environnement de Montréal (CRE-Montréal) and landscape architecture firm Catalyse Urbaine, shared their vision of an urban nature heritage park, accessible to all.

These three organizations believe this vision will provide a solid basis for transforming this green space into a public park, and hope that city officials will study the report in this light.

“Meadowbrook is the last intact large green space in the heart of the island of Montreal that could be developed into a park for all Montrealers,” says Les Amis de Meadowbrook spokesman Patrick Asch. “It is now time for the City of Montreal to follow up on the recommendations of the 2009 Montreal Agglomeration Council commission on large installations and agglomeration activities and add Meadowbrook to the city’s network of parks.”

Currently a public golf course, Meadowbrook is a 57-hectare green space bordered by railway tracks and rail yards on the south and west, and has only one entrance, located on the north side. It is, however, close to existing bicycle paths, the Lachine Canal and the AMT commuter line. New pedestrian entrances and cycle paths could easily open up access to Meadowbrook and integrate it with existing green corridors.

The new park could be connected through a greenway to a network of parks, including the Falaise Saint-Jacques, and a pedestrian infrastructure could make it accessible to all Montrealers, including the densely populated areas of Lachine and Saint-Pierre.

During a day-long workshop in early December 2012, residents, social services and health experts, biologists, students and elected officials visited the site and brainstormed. “We didn’t worry about implementation,” says Juliette Patterson, a landscape architect with Catalyse Urbaine. “We just imagined what we would like to see, and the results were unanimous: a park where people can go to observe nature and to learn about the historical and cultural aspects of the site.”

Coralie Deny, executive-director of CRE-Montreal, says, “We are convinced that, with a document like this in hand, the elected officials of the Montreal Agglomeration will agree with the importance of carrying out this public project. It fits perfectly with the spirit of the Montreal Development Plan currently being discussed.”

A new Meadowbrook Urban Nature Heritage Park Accessible to All, would offer Montrealers:

• A 57-hectare park in the heart of the island, where over 500,000 residents of the southwest region currently lack access to nature.

• A precious preserve of biodiversity located on a major spring migration flyway. Meadowbrook’s trees and streams also provide a rich resource for ducks, geese and songbirds.

• Heritage aspects of the area include First Nations archaeological sites, a history of agricultural use and a role in Canada’s railway history.

• A 1.4-km multi-use trail for pedestrians, cyclists and cross-country skiers, a 2.8- km year-round path for pedestrians and skiers, an additional 2 km of paths, as well as gardens and an outdoor theatre.

The full report can be downloaded from Les Amis de Meadowbrook website at lesamisdemeadowbrook.org.

Photo credit: Nigel Dove, Les Amis de Meadowbrook

Les Amis de Meadowbrook is a citizen’s movement dedicated to protecting Meadowbrook from development and transforming it into an Urban Nature Heritage Park Accessible to All.

CRE-Montreal is an independent non-profit organization committed to environmental protection and the promotion of sustainable development on the island of Montreal. http://www.cremtl.qc.ca

Catalyse Urbaine is a landscape and architecture design firm that exists to fulfill the seamless integration of nature into urban design – an endeavour that combines environmental sensitivity with public well-being.

Nicole and Nathalie hold up maps showing heat concentration on Island of Montreal. Cote Saint-Luc is a hot spot making preservation of Meadowbrook even more important.

In my opinion: 

Meadowbrook presents a significant attraction to thousands of young families for recreation and leisure and living in a city that promotes an active, healthy environment and lifestyle. It opens up a safe and secure corridor for thousands of cyclists and pedestrians to connect the west end with the Lachine Canal.  

 

Cote Saint-Luc is investing heavily and continuing its plans to attract young families.  The Meadowbrook connection is a major piece in the puzzle for young families.

For more info type “Meadowbrook” in the search field at the top of this page.

Meadowbrook Golf Course owners lobbied government employees without registering

Meadowbrook Golf Course owners lobbied government employees without registering. (Montreal Gazette)

Meadowbrook Golf Course: Developer Groupe Pacific wants to build up to 1,500 housing units on Lachine’s portion

Developer Groupe Pacific may be dreaming about a major residential development at Meadowbrook but Montreal Mayor Michael Applebaum has thrown cold water to wake them up.

This is welcome news from Applebaum, who today marks 100 days in office as Mayor of Montreal.

Continued public opposition to development is necessary on the Lachine side to ensure the developers and elected officials get a clear message that Meadowbrook should remain green, and become accessible, for all Montrealers and suburbanites for generations to come.

For more on Cote Saint-Luc’s efforts to preserve Meadowbrook as a green space, and my own opinion, please enter “Meadowbrook” in the search field.

Meadowbrook Golf Course: Developer Groupe Pacific wants to build up to 1,500 housing units on Lachine’s portion (Montreal Gazette)

Blue Bonnets to become urban farm?

Online urban landscaping magazine Spacing Montreal is reporting that given the long delays in redeveloping the Blue Bonnets Hippodrome lands into a major residential project that an interim plan could see the area turned into an urban farm.

Spacing Montreal reports that, “Given the size of the site it was generally discussed that number of different organizations may be able to access the land for various purposes – from a tree nursery to beekeeping, composting to pisciculture, producing food for the surrounding neighbourhood and providing job-training, school programs, and university research sites.”

“Blue Bonnets racetrack occupied the site from 1907 until it was abandoned in 2009. While the rich farmland that covered most of the island of Montreal was slowly paved over and parcelled out for residential, commercial and industrial use, the hippodrome remained the domain of horses.”

“If the land is returned to cultivation, the development of the hippodrome site will become a sort of microcosm – or laboratory – for North American urban development, where the urban neighbourhoods eventually overtake the agricultural vocation.”

As I blogged last week I have signed up for weekly delivery of fresh vegetables by Lufa Farms, a unique urban farming project which has set up its agricultural mission on an industrial rooftop. I share in the excitement of the prospect of a major urban agricultural project in west end Montreal.

Well designed communities lead to healthier residents

“…Learn[ing] from past mistakes by designing new communities and redesigning existing communities with walkability in mind. The emphasis [is] on more and greater connectivity of bike paths on the island of Montreal…”

This excellent article in the Montreal Gazette emphasizes the importance of redesigning communities to be walkable, bikable and fun to play in.  Research shows that those living in close proximity to opportunities to be more active will indeed do so resulting in better health.

I firmly believe that we must continue to make our streets more cycle friendly, hence I proposed the current CSL Cycles program which is steadily unfolding across Cote Saint-Luc with support from Mayor Housefather and members of Council.

I am also committed to slowing down traffic, calming our streets and making them safer for pedestrians and cyclists.  In Cote Saint-Luc we do not discourage street hockey, we want kids to continue to play outside but to do so safely, under the watchful eye of adults.

Getting across the street needs to be easier and safer for all pedestrians young and old.  I have pushed for bumped out sidewalks at street corners when roads are bring rebuilt, resulting in a shorter distance to cross the road, slower traffic and ultimately safer passage.  I’m pleased Council has agreed to support this suggestion.

While not a huge fan of speed humps, sometimes they are necessary but moreover bollards, street line markings and raised crosswalks are having an overall positive effect in Cote Saint-Luc and I’m proud to have pushed for all of these initiatives in our city.

What do you envision as being leading edge in terms of city design promoting health?  Post your comment here.

Related articles

• Steps To A Walkable Community (urbanvista.net)

 

Watered down tree protection

Free Press, December 19, 2012 – Click to enlarge

After several years of disagreement on how to apply the bylaw and months of debate on reworking the regulation City Council adopted a new tree protection bylaw last evening, or more specifically an amendment to the exiting bylaw.

Given that the logo of the City of Cote Saint-Luc is a stylized leaf, it is somewhat ironic that the new bylaw actually makes it easier to chop down a tree on private property.

Now, a resident may claim that a tree is impeding sunlight or blocking one’s view in order to gain permission to cut down a tree.

Council will no longer have any power over tree replacement as the decision to fell a tree is now conferred upon the Director of  Urban Development.

What’s worse, any tree that is cut down need only be replaced with a single tree regardless of the size of the tree to be felled (unless more than five trees are cut on the same lot in a given year, a rare occurrence).

Unfortunately, not one resident appeared at the special meeting convened to review the bylaw.

In supporting the proposal, Councillor Ruth Kovac exclaimed that Cote Saint-Luc will not have a net loss of trees.

Councillor Dida Berku, a passionate defender of the environment responded that the bylaw will have the opposite effect since a resident can now replace a 50 year old tree with a two inch sapling.

Whereas Council occasionally required two or more trees to replace larger ones, this will now only be triggered if a resident neglects to apply for a permit.  In that case, two for one plus a fine will be required.

Berku went on to say that, “More trees will be cut and less will be planted.  This dilutes the intent of the original bylaw which was based upon best practices in the region.  The new bylaw permits you to cut a healthy tree, and this is plain wrong,” Berku said.

Our inventory of trees is directly linked to public health according to the Montreal Public Health Agency. Urban Heat Islands are spreading across the Island of Montreal and are evident around Cote Saint-Luc’s two shopping malls.  Earlier this fall, Council had the opportunity to require the shopping centre owner to shade its parking lot with small islands of green space and trees but chose not to.  Berku and I, along with Councillor Steven Erdelyi voted to require the centre’s management to plant more trees but we were outvoted.

According to Erdelyi, a June 2007 study by the Montreal Agglomeration measured tree coverage for the entire island.  The study noted that while 20% of the island is currently shaded the target is set at 25%.  At that time, Cote Saint-Luc had 15% shading while TMR boasted 25% shading.

In speaking against the new, watered-down bylaw I said, “My tree benefits my neighbours and their trees benefit me. It’s in the public interest to protect trees.”

There are many options for maintaining one’s property when it comes to trees.  Pruning a tree will amply serve to prevent over-shading or restricted visibility without the need for chopping.

Mayor Anthony Housefather summed up the debate in stating, “Council had conflicting visions between those who believe one should have complete freedom versus some restriction.  Despite our differences on this bylaw everyone is in good faith. It’s great that we can all work together, even if it’s not a perfect compromise.”

I voted against this bylaw, along with Councillors Dida Berku and Steven Erdelyi.

Bronwyn Chester identified this 200 year old Bur Oak at the corner of Wavell and Melling. It is possibly the oldest of its kind on the island. Will it be next on the chopping block?