New updated content: 2024-11-25 12:23:35

We learned through past member Daniel Buckles in Toronto that an ancient bur oak in Champlain Park was in danger of being removed due to a proposed new infill build. Local residents were alerted and city officials contacted but before anyone could do anything, this Confederation era heritage tree was felled. It is a grievous loss, which occurred despite the Tree Protection By-law being fully applied. In the end, meeting all zoning requirements trumps the preservation of a distinctive tree, even a heritage tree such as this one. There is a need to reexamine this bylaw in regards to heritage trees. There was a commitment to do so at the time of the development of the Urban Forest Management Plan, which has not yet been fulfilled.