Alta Vista residents petition for end to Hydro One tree trimming
A utility's plan to remove vegetation under power lines in Alta Vista has residents decrying the impending damage to an ecosystem and loss of a natural screen between homes and a new road.
Hydro One says it needs to manage vegetation around its transmission lines to make sure trees and branches aren't touching the wires. In the hydro corridor that traverses Alta Vista Drive, the utility says its work will include “selective trimming and select removal of certain trees and branches.”
But some residents don't understand why the utility needs to clear out the trees and brush along the corridor between Abbey Road and Knox Crescent, potentially affecting wildlife and disrupting recreational green space.
“It's really back to the ecosystem,” LeRoy Blake said from his home on Alta Vista Drive where the hydro corridor meets the road. “It's back to the young children. This is their heritage. This is back to our need to be custodians of nature.”
The area has already undergone disruption with the construction of the controversial Hospital Link Road connecting Riverside Drive with the hospital campus on Smyth Road. Some members of the community were upset when, nearly 10 years ago, the city began work on road through green space to relieve traffic congestion on Alta Vista and Smyth roads. Many residents feared the installation of a hospital-link expressway.
An online petition calling on Hydro One to stop plans to remove the trees and brush had, after a week, collected more than 1,300 names as of mid-afternoon Thursday.
Blake said there has already been a loss of vegetation in the area with the construction of the hospital link. The hydro corridor is enjoyed by school groups, dog walkers and anyone who enjoys strolling through the green space,
Blake said.
“We get the sense this is an economic stand (by Hydro One),” he said.
Hydro One says its plans are rooted in safety.
“A section of the corridor near Alta Vista Drive contains fast-growing, dense vegetation with a number of mature trees right under and near the power lines, posing a public safety risk and threat to the reliability of the electricity system,” said Alex Stewart of the utility's communications department. “This section of vegetation requires specialized equipment to be brought in to conduct the work and ensure the safety of our crews, the reliability of the electrical system and the safety of residents using the corridor.”
Crews intend to begin work this winter. In place of the removed vegetation, the utility plans to
grow “pollinator species” in the corridor to provide homes for birds, bees and other wildlife.
Kris Nanda, who lives on Knox Crescent, said removing vegetation seems counterintuitive to Hydro One aiming to reduce its environmental footprint.
“Clear cutting and getting rid of all those things is overkill and there are better options,” Nanda said.
Nanda said the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted more people to pursue outdoor activities and he worries the noisy tree-removal work will affect recreation in the hydro corridor this winter.
“The more outdoor outlets there are, the better,” Nanda said.
Hydro One was scheduled to have a consultation with residents Thursday evening.