Toronto City Hall Massacre| 19 Healthy Park Trees Felled

Ekka · 11th May 2008, 10:47 PM

TorontoSun.com - Comment- Teens gone wild? Chop down trees

Quote:

It seems those blooming tree-hugging hypocrites who purport to be running Toronto (into the ground) have quietly reduced 19 healthy, mature Austrian pines and ash trees to ugly, sentry-like stumps in Mossgrove Park, located in the tony York Mills Rd. and Leslie St. area.

This latest City Hall chainsaw massacre occurred on April 15, one week before Earth Day. The deed was sanctioned by the city's tree police and ward councillor Cliff Jenkins, who claims it was done to improve "community safety" at a park where teens have been loitering, dealing drugs and conducting other "undesirable activities" for years.

"This is a community safety issue ... it's not a tree issue," Jenkins told me late last week, noting 30 replacement trees, as yet unspecified, will be planted in the park.

By contrast, on April 29 Coun. Mike Del Grande failed to get the two-thirds vote required from council to reconsider the case of a Grandville Ave. couple who've been told they can't take down an invasive Norway Maple infiltrating their tiny home -- unless they cough up $10,526, which includes the value of the offending tree.

In fact, before the vote, the pompous Tree Emperor Joe Pantalone shouted to his colleagues to register "No." (Jenkins, to his credit, supported the couple.)

While this kind of twisted logic has made it clear -- at least to me -- that Toronto's draconian private tree bylaw is being applied inconsistently and on a most selective basis, I dare say the safety excuse is the best I've heard to date for clear-cutting an entire stand of healthy trees.

I can't wait for what's next. Perhaps some of those trees in downtown parks under which homeless folk tend to catch a few winks should be taken down, too, for being a safety hazard.

Jenkins says a park safety audit conducted exactly a year ago by Const. Kelly Downie of 33 Division -- and supported by about 25 local residents at a community meeting -- cited the number one reason for the drug dealing as the lack of "sight lines" from York Mills Rd. into Mossgrove Park.

Downie couldn't be reached for comment. Nevertheless her audit proposed removing the artificial hill bordering the south end of the park and the trees on it -- to allow residents and other traffic passing by on York Mills Rd. to see directly into the park.

As Downie also noted in her audit, the direct view would prevent "undesirables" from loitering and make it easier for the "community to observe and contact the police."

I asked Jenkins -- if there is such a drug problem -- why the police simply don't get out of their cars and patrol the park either on foot or by bicycle, as Chief Bill Blair promised they'd be doing on a more regular basis three years ago.

"They are doing increased patrols," he said, but couldn't say how often the police are in there on foot or by bike.

The audit also indicates the lighting in the park is poor, but the recommendations only mention installing one light standard on one pathway.

Local resident, and candidate for council in the last election, Tony Dickins, who's been aware of the rowdy teen problem for years but knew nothing of any community meetings, says the solution taken is "bizarre to say the least," especially from officials who keep espousing "greening the city" to fight climate change.

STEP UP PATROLS

"Interesting concept ... cut down on crime by cutting down trees," he said, noting that if police patrols were stepped up, that would likely deter the kids from hanging out in the park.

Another area resident, Simone Gabbay, founder of Don Mills Friends, called the city's solution "very simplistic."

She said she's not only "disappointed" the city wouldn't take better care to preserve trees that are removing pollution, but their solution is far from "teen-friendly" -- in other words, it doesn't address the problem that the teens have nothing better to do and nowhere else to go.

"In an area where there's so much affluence, this is most palatable solution they could come up with?" she asked.

Palatable or not, I asked Jenkins whether the tree takedown has in fact worked to reduce the drug dealing in the park. He said the hill isn't entirely removed yet, but when it's done he said he's sure the environment will improve.

I pressed further as to whether drug dealing is ongoing.

"I believe there still is," he said.

TrevMcRev · 12th May 2008, 05:28 AM

Umm hadnt they heard of crown lifting.....

Ekka · 12th May 2008, 05:29 AM

They haven't heard of electricity yet I think.

newguy18 · 12th May 2008, 06:46 AM

and why couldn't they just have cops patrol the park?Oh wait that might cost them money.

12th May 2008, 05:28 AM	#2 (permalink)
TrevMcRev Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Posts: 734	Re: Toronto City Hall Massacre\| 19 Healthy Park Trees Felled Umm hadnt they heard of crown lifting..... __________________ Melbourne Arborist, Total Tree Care, Pruning, Tree and Stump Removal

12th May 2008, 05:29 AM	#3 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 6,943	Re: Toronto City Hall Massacre\| 19 Healthy Park Trees Felled They haven't heard of electricity yet I think. __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding and Stump Removal Brisbane Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations, Developer, Tree and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

12th May 2008, 06:46 AM	#4 (permalink)
newguy18 Part of the Furniture Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Live Oak Florida home of the crapiest trees you will ever see. Posts: 2,682	Re: Toronto City Hall Massacre\| 19 Healthy Park Trees Felled and why couldn't they just have cops patrol the park?Oh wait that might cost them money. __________________ Have your say join us today. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzkd_m4ivmc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzfzb...eature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-OqK...eature=related

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