Several trees in Rotary Park are expected to be removed by the Parks team with Public Works in Cranbrook later this week or early next week. Work is expected to take several days to complete.
Most of the trees in Rotary Park are Manitoba maples or box elders, many of which suffer from a number of issues from weak branches that break easily in heavy snow or strong wind. These trees are also a favourite meal of the common green caterpillar through the summer months.
Since 2016, the City has been slowly removing a few trees and replacing them with various species and ornamental trees. Removing some of the Manitoba maples will help diversify the species in Rotary Park while reducing the risk to the public and reducing the high maintenance required by staff due to the various issues.
This approach is undertaken so that we do not negatively impact the shade these trees provide during the hot summer months. The replacement trees will have time to establish themselves and grow between tree removals.