Salty runoff is killing trees along the Otonabee
It has been said that the best time to plant a tree is yesterday. I agree with that philosophy and was pleased that the City of Peterborough brought forth a tree bylaw.
For the past several years people living along the Otonabee River in the city’s south end have observed the trees dying and the Kennedy Rd. woodlot destroyed.
In 2009 the city’s public works moved their snow storage facility to a location at the wastewater treatment plant on Kennedy Rd. It would be difficult to find a less desirable location.
Each winter a mountain of salty snow is accumulated at this location. From spring to August/September, the runoff drains downhill through the wooded area on its way to the Otonabee River, carrying its salty toxic cocktail with it.
ORCA and other agencies, together with The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change were contacted in an attempt to put a stop to this practice. The response by the ministry was “they are the city’s trees and they can kill them if they wish and there is nothing that can be done.”
Concerned citizens have met with city councillors and staff on numerous occasions in an attempt to have the snow dump moved or rectified in some way but we have been completely rejected.
Recently at our request, MPP Jeff Leal became involved and as a result of the province’s intervention the city has hired an environmental consulting company to oversee this project with the hope of entering into an environmental compliance agreement as they do not have a permit at this time.
The once beautiful forest that adorned the waterway to the city is now dead together with the habitat of many birds and animals. The contaminated runoff must also be harmful to the fish and water creatures. The residents of the area will also miss the tree canopy that buffered noise and light pollution from the high traffic bypass.
With the devastation of the Kennedy Rd., site together with numerous other environmental faux pas that have been made by this administration, it demonstrates the hypocrisy and lack of good judgment displayed by some councillors and staff and should be remembered come the election next year.
In closing, a quote by John Muir, conservationist and founder of the Sierra Club, is very fitting for the city we call The Natural.
“God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches and thousand tempests and floods, But he cannot save them from fools.” Claude Millard Monaghan Rd