WINNIPEG — Residents in St. Vital have had enough of their diseased chokecherry trees being an eyesore in front of their home. St. Vital Councillor Brian Mayes organized a town hall Monday evening to get the public’s opinion on how high it should be on the city’s priority list. Mayes wants more cash allocated to the tree removal in the budget, and said he is constantly approached about the issue.
READ MORE: Dead Chokecherry trees like “something out of a horror movie”
“I was in Tim Hortons the other day and someone approached me and said they live at Ashworth and Basinger and I knew what it was going to be about,” Mayes said.
Black knot fungus spreads with the wind. In some areas of St. Vital the infected trees line both sides of the street. Residents who have called 311 are told there is going to be a wait to have it removed. In some cases it could take years.
“Why put a tree if not for the beautification of a neighbourhood,” Nigel Fortlage said, who has one of the diseased trees on his front lawn. “This is not beautiful.”
The city advised residents at the meeting that if they want their tree removed sooner, they will have to pay a contractor themselves to do it. This didn’t sit well with many of the residents.
“It was the city and the developer that put it up, they should take the loss for it because its affecting our property values,” said Greg Mccombe, who has called the city five times about his tree.
Mayes will be presenting the residents concerns from the meeting to city council.
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