By Quinn Ruby
Local Journalism Initiative
A group of Bedford citizens are worried construction being done on Rue Dutch to replace sewage and water pipes will destroy the heritage quality of the residential street, which is part of the Townships Trail and is lined with mature trees that some residents consider characteristic of the town. They voiced their concerns at the town’s Oct. 4 council meeting. Since work began, three mature trees have been cut down and the roots of seven or eight have been damaged during construction a new sidewalk. One concerned citizen, Kevin Craft, says that the damage to the trees was excessive and could have easily been prevented.
According to the Bedford bylaw concerning the PIIA, or regulations on the plans for establishment and architectural integration, the presence of mature trees is an important feature of the area and contributes to the quality of the town’s development plan. “All projects should be designed to preserve mature trees and ensure that they are replaced,” the bylaw reads.
But Craft maintains that these preservation measures were not considered in the planning of this project. “They could have done it differently if someone, somewhere had been properly consulted but they just kind of went ahead and did it whatever way without getting any input from anybody,” he says. Craft claims the council did not seek the advice of arborists or engineers that could have potentially found a way to replace the systems without doing so much, or any, damage to the trees. One of trees was replaced, says Craft, but by a fire hydrant instead of another tree.
Subscribe to The Record for the full story and more
