ONE OF THE TREES (by Canadian flag) slated to be cut for cycle path. The removals of the 13 trees have been placed on hold for now.
No trees will be cut down for now.
A Long Branch property owner has for now stopped the city from chopping down 13 healthy and much-needed trees as they upgrade bicycle lanes between Birmingham Street and Dwight Avenue.
Christina Sobolak is the owner of a historic Bell Telephone Building, at 80 Birmingham Street, which is now converted into the Birmingham Business Centre.
Sobolak was stunned to see in a city plan that one of five huge Linden trees that are planted around her iconic building will be cut down. The tree is estimated at about 60-years-old.
The City of Toronto is upgrading the existing bicycle lanes on Birmingham Street between Kipling Avenue and Dwight Avenue to protected bicycle lanes, called cycle tracks.
“I cannot believe this. I haven’t been able to sleep at night,” she said. “I love this tree’”
The city in a letter said due to the nature of the project about 13 trees will be removed.
City officials in a construction notice said one ‘street tree’ will be removed on Birmingham Street, nine street trees on Dwight Ave. and three from Murrie Street on the boulevard.
Sobolak said the trees slated to be ‘massacred’ are healthy and good for the environment.
“There is no need to cut this tree if you are making my lawn longer towards the east and my driveway narrower,” she wrote to city officials. “That tree is part of a matching set of Linden trees that encircles my beautiful building, “the beauty queen” of Birmingham St.”
The city said concrete curb, painted buffer and bollards would be added to separate cycle tracks from the motor vehicle lanes. The existing westbound bicycle lane between Islington Avenue and Dwight Avenue would be relocated against the north curb, between the parking lane and sidewalk.
The road resurfacing between Islington Avenue and Dwight Avenue will include sidewalk upgrades that reduce crossing distances and encouraging slower turning speeds. Five parking spots will be lost.
However, Councillor Mark Grimes said later the tree removals will be stopped and other options are being looked at.
Suresh Pillai, a field ambassador for the project, said “we have reviewed the situation … we wish to inform you that the tree will not be removed at this location.”
The heritage designated Bell building was completed in 1926 and by 1929 some 52 staff worked there and handled a daily average of 13,000 calls to Humber Bay, the Towns of Mimico, New Toronto and Long Branch. The building served the community until 1981.