Tree location sparks concern
Mobility issues raised after construction leaves obstacle in middle of sidewalk
A tree still sits in the middle of a narrow 107 Avenue sidewalk after recent construction had some residents hoping the area would become more pedestrian friendly.
The sidewalk on the southwest corner of 109 Street and 107 Avenue was recently replaced as part of a development project, city spokeswoman Karen Burgess said via email.
Before the work, two city trees were in the middle of the sidewalk, but one was damaged by the developer and needed to be replaced.
This would have been the perfect time to make the sidewalk easier to walk on, said Jeff Lister, who frequently visits his wife at work across the street.
He was shocked to find the sidewalk was rebuilt as it had been before, including with the tree in the middle.
His concern was that people with mobility difficulties would require more room, he said.
After he posted his concerns on social media and called 311, the city decided to shift the tree’s location so it wouldn’t impede pedestrian traffic, Burgess said.
The contractor has since filled in the space with concrete.
As well, the city added an additional piece of concrete to widen the sidewalk around the other tree, Burgess said.
She noted that the tree wasn’t removed because it wasn’t damaged during construction.
Under the city ’s design and construction standards, the minimum width for wheelchair access is 0.9 metres.
This location was 1.1 metres wide before the concrete was added, but after hearing concerns, the city and developer agreed to widen the concrete to 1.5 metres.
The issue raises a broader concern about balancing pedestrian safety with the look of city streets, accessibility advisory board committee chairman Zachary Weeks said.
“(In this case) it’s not so much the width of the sidewalk, but where the tree is positioned,” Weeks said.
“It’s important that if we’re going to provide esthetic enhancements to our sidewalks of that nature we need to make sure ... the sidewalk width is not impeded by trees or benches or that sort of thing.”
Weeks said the 0.9-metre minimum width as part of the city’s guidelines should be reviewed.
“That’s something that will have to be looked at in the future just to make sure that we’re providing as much accessibility to not just people with disabilities, but the general population,” he said.
The city looks at sidewalks on a case-by-case basis and looks for ways to improve when negotiating with developers, said Kelly Sizer, acting director of subdivision and development co-ordination.
If residents have mobility concerns about streets, Sizer said they are encouraged to raise them with the city.
(In this case) it’s not so much the width of the sidewalk, but where the tree is positioned.