Walking in my neighbourhood yet again today, I came across the latest of these logged-off sites.
I thought our bylaw protects trees that aren't within a new building's potential 'footprint' -- that those around the edges are supposed to be spared. Yet the bulk of the stumps on this lot run right along the fenceline, hardly the spot where any building could go. Take a look at those windows in the apartments next door. Can you imagine how thrilled those people must be at the thought of having their very own third-storey Peeping Toms living next door?
These weren't little saplings that were removed.
Again, I'd like to ask those people next door how having these big trees cut down has affected them.My only wish now is that the bylaw officer gets there in time -- not only to fine the people responsible for this, but also to seize the timber before they can make any money by selling it to a mill.
I'll post again when I find out what, if anything, happens with this. It looks like a good test for the supposedly new and tougher bylaw.
7 comments:
Yep, that looks pretty lame. The same thing on a minor scale happened to me. I looked out my condo balcony one morning and noticed that the eyesore parking lot next door was entirely visable, and that the big oak that had shielded it was just a stump. The fine was only 50 bucks, so the fuckers didn't care...just chopped the tree in the middle of the night. Depressing, is how that felt.
What is the fine or penalty for the new bylaws in your neighbourhood?
Hi Heidi,
You won't know me but I was looking forward to taking a poetry course from you, starting Monday through Surrey Continuing Ed. I just got the phone call that it was cancelled. BUMMER! I'm disappointed.
(btw I bought your book eons ago at a reading in the Newton Library and have enjoyed it very much)
The tragic flaw in the nature of trees, is that they continue to grow silently and slowly to grandiose heights, on the same planet where humanity consistently cuts them down. One day they may pull up their roots and emigrate to a another more worthy galaxy.
I managed to do some follow-up, thanks to help from one of the city councillors. Sadly, it turns out it's perfectly legal for a developer to take all the trees on one of these 'small' lots. Apparently, they're supposed to plant some baby trees as replacement. Although where these go (or when) or how they're supposed to compensate for trees this big is the part I haven't been able to figure out.
How sad and incredibly depressing.
Saddest of all is the fact that today, four years after this travesty occurred, the lot remains vacant. Hmmm. I just might have to do another blog post on this...
Arrrrrgh!
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