Somehow, the need to remove support straps from new trees in 91原创 City鈥檚 McBurney plaza was forgotten, and by the time anyone remembered, it was too late to save them.

Teri James, the executive director of the Downtown 91原创 Business Association (DLBA) and a 91原创 City councillor, said because the straps which were used to support the freshly planted trees were left on too long, 鈥渢hey basically strangled the trees.鈥�

By the time the problem was discovered, Jame said the trees had to come down.

鈥淭he trees were a fire hazard,鈥� James remarked.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 the honest truth. It was only a matter of time before they were all dead.鈥�

READ ALSO: Picnics and downtown dollar contests announced for 91原创 City this summer

Rick Bomhof, 91原创 City director of engineering, parks and environment called it an 鈥渋nstallation issue.鈥�

鈥淭hings somehow fell through the cracks,鈥� Bomhof told the 91原创 Advance Times.

鈥淏asically, it [the strap] choked the tree at the base.鈥�

When the mistake came to light, Bomhof said one tree was dead and a number of others were 鈥渟everely stressed.鈥�

Bomhof said it isn鈥檛 clear how the mistake was made after talks between the City and the contractor and designer responsible for the tree planting.

鈥淣o one鈥檚 really said, 鈥榳e made a mistake here,鈥欌�� Bomhof related.

However, the design consultant agreed to work on revamping the plaza for free and and the new trees were provided 鈥渁t cost,鈥� for about $6,000, plus the expense of pulling out the original trees and improving irrigation and drainage in the plaza, Bomhof said.

James said some good has come from the replanting, which wrapped up in early June, because the City did touch base with the DLBA about a redesign before it acted.

鈥淭hey were kind enough to consult with us,鈥� James said, and as a result, the number of new trees has been slightly reduced, from a dozen to 10, to allow more room for public events in the plaza.

READ ALSO: Street trees on One-Way in 91原创 City to be replaced

As for the trees that were earlier removed from the one-way that passes by McBurney, Bomhof said the city has put in for a federal grant to fund the project, but when a decision might be made on the application is hard to say.

Most of the trees were taken out because because some were creating tripping hazards by making the sidewalk heave upwards and others had been excessively trimmed to let power and telephone lines run over them, creating what Bomhof described as an 鈥渁esthetically unpleasing appearance鈥� in a 2018 report to council.

Bomhof said the trees along Fraser Highway between 204 and 206 Streets, where the road narrows to a one-way single lane, were 鈥渘ot the appropriate type of species for pedestrian sidewalk areas.鈥�

dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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