If you see workers taking down some trees at Bonnerworth Park, the City of Peterborough wants you to know the work is not part of the controversial Bonnerworth Park redevelopment.
The city issued a media release on Thursday (June 27) explaining that three trees that are either dead or dying will be removed along the perimeter of Bonnerworth Park at Monaghan Road and McDonnel Street, with the work expected to be completed on Thursday.
“The tree removals are necessary for safety reasons as it is likely that the whole tree or tree parts will fail as the trees deteriorate,” states the release. “The trees pose a significant risk of harm to the public and/or personal property in the vicinity.”
According to the release, the removal of the trees is part of the city’s urban forest management program, which each year sees the city removes trees that have reached the end of their safe life expectancy.
The city says it is also planting around 1,000 new trees in the community as part of its various initiatives to maintain the urban forest canopy, including tree plantings to respond to the loss of tree canopy from the May 2022 derecho storm and the loss of ash trees due to the emerald ash borer.
Approved by city council in April, the $4.4-million Bonneworth Park redevelopment includes the construction of 16 pickleball courts, an expanded skate park, a bike pump track, and an 80-vehicle parking lot.
The first phase of the plan would see construction begin this fall on the pickleball court complex, including any landscaping and sound attenuation.
A group of residents neighbouring Bonneworth Park are protesting the redevelopment plan, with their primary objections the noise impact that the 16 pickleball courts will have on their quality of life, the loss of their neighbourhood greenspace, and what they claim was a flawed process in terms of how the plan has been developed and communicated.
“The tree removals at Bonnerworth Park are not related to the upcoming changes to the park,” the city’s release states.
