Several healthy mature trees at 2 Twenty Seventh St, rendered unsafe during excavation on the property, were removed yesterday. Initially, tops were cut off them to mitigate immediate hazard. Now they are all gone. The developer applied to remove these trees prior to excavation but the application was refused by Forestry. Yet the trees are all gone. Here is the aftermath.

So what happens now?

I have confidence that the Forestry group will investigate and take appropriate action but what does that mean?…a fine? Will construction be allowed to continue?

At the OMB hearing in which consent to sever was upheld, we heard that trees would be protected. We were shown plans involving piers to carefully build around the trees. The adjudicator upheld the severance. Neighbours were told by the adjudicator we were being emotional and the result would not be as dire as we imagined. Wrong.

The argument for severance of this property at Committee of Adjustment and at the OMB centred around character of the neighbourhood. Is there anyone out there who thinks the wholesale destruction of a significant group of healthy mature trees does not dramatically affect the character of our community?

Heartbreaking.