A pair of big trees in Tsawwassen have to come down.
That’s according to the city after concerns raised by residents, including regarding a giant Lombardy poplar tree in the 500 block of Centennial Parkway.
Following a complaint, the city commissioned an independent study by an arborist to take to a look at the state of that tree, which has been extensively pruned by B.C. Hydro given its proximity to overhead utility lines.
A memo by the engineering department to council notes that the arborist stated that while the overall risk of failure was low, the possible damage to homes would be significant.
“Following the arborist report, the resident canvassed the immediate neighborhood and has provided petitioned support to have the tree removed due to said concerns regarding safety and nuisance. The resident also had a registered professional forester provide an opinion which recommended removal due to their opinion that the tree is high risk, should any failures occur,” the memo explains.
Staff also inspected the surrounding area and noted that the roadway along Centennial Parkway has been negatively impacted by tree roots.
The tree is to be removed soon and replacements planted.
Meanwhile, a big Cottonwood tree located at Beach Grove Mini Park, located immediately adjacent to the playground, is also to come down after concerns were raised by nearby residents and park users.
Residents near Beach Grove Mini Park say they're worried about the danger of a giant Cottonwood at the park
“Cottonwoods are known to be unpredictable when it comes to falling branches. They are structurally reliant on significant moisture. In hot dry weather, large limbs can come down without warning or with the influence of wind. A steel cable connecting the two main stems was placed in the tree approximately 10 years ago to help avoid a total failure of one of the two main stems. Service records indicate a number of branches have come down from the tree over the years and neighbours have reported damage to private property resulting from the loss of branches,” the parks and recreation department notes.
Despite the city arborist's assessment that there is a low risk of total failure, the majority of the neighbourhood has become increasingly concerned for the safety of the park users, a memo by the department explains, adding city staff have canvassed the neighbourhood to confirm the support of the removal.
To offset the removal of the large tree, engineering staff will arrange to plant five new trees in the park.
According to the City of Delta, thanks to regulatory adjustments and active tree planting programs, Delta’s tree canopy is growing. The most recent analysis based on 2016 aerial photos showed increases in the tree canopy in all of Delta’s communities since 2004.
