The chair of a committee looking to turn Shelbourne Street into a commemorative space acknowledges concerns from the public about the potential impact of the project.
It calls on Saanich to plant large memorial trees along Shelbourne Street running from Pear Street to North Dairy Road among other measures in time for the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. The work would complete a project dating back almost a century ago, when Shelbourne Street became CanadaB次元官网网址檚 first Road of Remembrance in Oct. 2, 1921.
These roads marked fallen soldiers killed during the First World War by planting large London Plane trees, and of the 600 trees planted in Victoria and Saanich, some 200 of those remain standing in Saanich along Shelbourne.
But Bob Reimer B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� wants Saanich to be mindful of the effects that the project might have on homeowners.
Large trees, he said, require open space B次元官网网址� space that they that do not always have. B次元官网网址淢ost of us (including me) have planted seedlings in small yards without regard to the inevitable size of the tree,B次元官网网址� he said in a letter. B次元官网网址淩oots and branches damage pavement, roofs and drains, not just our own.B次元官网网址�
Ray Travers B次元官网网址� a private forestry consultant, who has worked for decades in the forestry industry, and chairs the committee pushing the project B次元官网网址� acknowledged ReimerB次元官网网址檚 concerns.
B次元官网网址淭he comments about the care and maintenance needs of the existing London Plane trees on Shelbourne [Street], by Mr Reimer who lives on this street, are welcome,B次元官网网址� said Travers.
B次元官网网址淭hese concerns are the reason why the Memorial Avenue Committee recommends the preparation of a conservation management plan (CMP) so the community can understand in advance the short and long term, say 100 years, care and maintenance needs of planting new and existing London Plane trees, when redevelopment occurs,B次元官网网址� said Travers.
A CMP is a practical tool that helps policy makers, landowners, and managers (such as arborists) make sound decisions about conserving and managing heritage resources, he said.
