Alarmingly, poor leadership by Cowichan Valley Regional District elected officials destroyed a cultural landmark.
Ripping out the lone 150-year-old maple fronting the Island Savings Centre erased a direct historical connection to the gardens of pioneer families. The destruction of a beautiful, clean, organic heritage tree for a parking spot soon to be covered in more anti-freeze, motor oil and brake fluid spillage doesn’t make sense. What kind of a trade-off is this?
Not just any tree, this maple is a lost legacy. Architecturally, it artfully complimented the entranceway to the Island Savings complex. James Street and other urban core avenues in North Cowichan-Duncan are already a wasteland, largely concrete and asphalt. Elected officials are continuing to slash urban greenery. North Cowichan and Duncan municipalities deserve better decision-makers and better planning for pedestrians, motor vehicles and the environment.
Frank Bartunek
Duncan
