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Charlottetown should protect urban canopy

Charlottetown needs to do more to protect urban canopy

Andrea Battison, Charlottetown, P.E.I.

The need to maintain, increase, and care for our current urban canopy trees and green spaces is undeniable and we can all play a part.

The City of Charlottetown’s webpage, Charlottetown’s Urban Forest, contains a wealth of information on the value of trees, programs in the city as well as some "cool and interesting facts about trees".

The positive impacts of these programs can be seen in the tree protection zones, increased boulevards, and new trees being planted.

No doubt individuals are also doing their part by planting and caring for trees on their properties or perhaps, if they are not property owners, contributing to groups or programs that plant trees elsewhere.

Of late, however, the efforts of the business community and developers show less recognition of, and respect for, the preservation, maintenance and development of the natural environment and urban canopy when considering projects.

The new addition to the Dominion building has resulted in the loss of maturing, healthy trees which had added cooling shade and a break in the concrete at the front of the building in recent years. Could the renovation not have maximized the presence of the trees by embracing and incorporating them into, and thereby enhancing, the extension in a creative way? Was this even considered?

There is a design concept for the Province House Historic District (externally bounded by Grafton, Queen, Sydney, Great George, Richmond and Church streets). The southern grounds of Province House currently consist of grassed lawns, a central walkway and Ushaped drive flanked by mature trees.

Rather than replenishing, reinvigorating and possibly increasing the greenspace in the area, the proposal shows the central area replaced by a plaza of concrete pavers.

How does more concrete contribute to a greener, environmentally friendly, greenhouse gas decreasing environment, especially on a Parks Canada site?

A recently approved proposal for façade changes to the Polyclinic building shows increased glass in the south facing Grafton Street side, a new entrance, signage and removal of the established, large red maple trees.

Retaining the trees and relocating the proposed signage to pedestrian level below the canopy, or possibly selective trimming to increase visibility of the signage if necessary, would create a natural and delightful play of light and leaf shadow within the interior of the premises during the summer and an engaging arbour of a tree canopy as an entryway while helping to mitigate heat gain.

It appears that no or minimal changes would be required to accommodate saving the trees.

In the proposed design, however, living trees are being replaced with dead wooden posts to emphasize the entrance. Were these changes to go ahead as proposed, the logo of the business showing tree roots and a stump — but no live tree — would be both poignant and incongruous in its prominent location between the new posts.

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2021-09-23T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-23T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://saltwire.pressreader.com/article/281689732956513

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