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New trees worth every cent

Our trees, our town.

“I can’t think of a better investment toward the attractiveness and future economy of Picton. We rightly have great concerns about heritage properties but what could be more inviting than a street with dappled sunlight in summer, a wind break in winter and a soft look to complement the older buildings. Worth every cent both to attract tourists and to enjoy ourselves for years to come.”

Can’t be better said than this from a friend and Picton home owner and supporter of our downtown core.

From my point of view, why pay for a person to develop a streetscape for our downtown centres in the County and deny them the opportunity of making them the best they can be. Trees are necessary not only for their beauty, but for the environment as well. Sucking up the carbon dioxide from the traffic below and enhancing the air we breath. When you break down the cost per tree, which includes the cost of proper planting, the cost is not over the top at all. This is a long-term investment which I think our council should be thinking about – not the short-term costs.

I am asking our council to look at the bigger picture and not the viewpoint of a few disgruntled citizens whose small thinking and limited imagination always seem to take away from the greater good for all.
Lynne Rochon, Athol.

Filed Under: Letters and OpinionNews from Everywhere Else

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  1. Steve Staniek says:

    Another failure to protect public heritage assets in the HCD. They had to get a heritage permit to tear up Main Street, so was a heritage permit issued for the destruction of 29 heritage trees? If not, then the $190,000 is the amount that should be paid by those responsible as a punitive fine. If permits and fines are applied against private property owners in the HCD then they must be applied equally to County staff who allowed the destruction of those mature trees. Public heritage assets must also be protected in a genuine HCD, otherwise the whole concept of a heritage streetscape is a disgraceful sham. Shire Hall must be held accountable on this and other issues. Council refuses to discuss heritage issues in private and public, and have gone into hiding until it all blows over. The abuse of owners on Main Street must stop with the repeal of the HCD bylaw that created the disasters we are witnessing now.

  2. Dave Gray says:

    Trees yes! $190.000 no! give me a break.
    30 trees, say @ $200.00 a tree = $6000, planting say two trees a hour @ $200 =$3000, if they work really slow and only plant one tree a hour that would come to $6000 which would cost $12,000.on a really bad day $20.000 please explain to us $190.000 .

  3. Dennis Fox says:

    If you take a look at the photos of the Royal Hotel, with the trees out front – those trees are not very old at all. When were they installed and at what price? My question still is – why wasn’t more care taken to protect those trees during construction? It is possible and it has been done before – a little more care and planning could have saved good trees and taxpayers a lot of money.

    BTW – why are comments that were submitted to a different article being attached to the latest one about the letter given to the Mayor and Council? While the topics are related, they really don’t apply to that particular news item. In my opinion it will only confuse the discussion.

  4. Hildagard says:

    The cost is not over the top–what a ridiculous remark!! Long term–give me a break! Council will likely be chopping them down within 5 years and replacing them again! That’s been the pattern. It’s a shame a local business such as Lockyer’s never got a chance to tender for the trees!

  5. Hildagard says:

    “The trees are necessary for many reason”! Nonsense!

  6. Susan says:

    I was just pointing you in the right direction so you could get an answer,rather than surmising.

  7. ADJ says:

    @ Susan,,, asking the question to anyone!!Did anyone hear or read of a tendered bid? Pretty simple question. Obviously Susan you don’t know so I’ll pass it to someone else. And don’t be so quick to support this if it wasn’t done fairly.

  8. Susan says:

    Who are you asking? You need to contact Shire Hall.

  9. ADJ says:

    Was this replanting a tendered job? I question throwing that kind of money into this without other quotes. A published version of the tendered process. More transparency is a good thing….avoids the suspicion of favortism.

  10. Susan says:

    The trees are necessary for many reasons. It was probably a good thing long term to replace. I support the work.

  11. Dennis Fox says:

    I believe that the writer of this article has confused the value of trees with the cost of trees. No one has voiced(as far as I know) opposition to trees in the downtown, however they have rightfully voiced a concern over the exorbitant cost of 29 trees – $190K is ridiculous! Too bad the writer didn’t voice her opposition to the destruction of the 29 trees – that would have made sense, this needless waste and expense does not!

  12. Marnie says:

    Amazing that Main Street thrived for so many years without trees. They are a nice touch but the quoted price is ridiculous. Maybe those “disgruntled small thinkers” are taxpayers struggling to pay high taxes, exorbitant hydro bills and water bills that are out of sight. With their “limited imaginations” they fail to see the pressing need to shell out megabucks for something that is not a necessity. Time to put the brakes on the big spenders and do a reality check. Trees are desirable but if they cannot be sourced at a reasonable price then the idea should be scrapped.

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