Family fighting to save mature trees in Kingston

Hydro upgrades are generating sparks in a Kingston neighbourhood over the pending loss of mature trees.

A family is trying to fight city hall to save their trees, even though they are on city property. France Spence and her family live at 59 McMichael Street in the Strathcona Park area.

She said knows some trees will be cut down as the city replaces hydro poles – and in this case, re-routes a power line – but doesn’t necessarily think they need to chop the mature trees down.

“They can be pruned so that they’re not dangerous like all the other trees.”

Spence also wondered why the power lines couldn’t be placed underground.

Brad Joyce is the energy operations director with Utilities Kingston. He says trees will be lost but the city will minimize the number, and whatever is cut down will be replaced on a three to one ratio.

“Even if went go under ground we’re still going to be removing a significant number of trees. If we went under ground for the trenching, it would go in that same spot.”

READ MORE: Mature trees in Toronto’s north end cut without permit

This particular project near the intersection of McMichael and McMahon Streets has been on the books since last May. The Spence family is hoping things can still get worked out and save as many mature trees as possible.