Residents of a Saanich neighbourhood concerned about the loss of trees in connection with regional sewage will remain “vigilant” after hearing from local officials, says a spokesperson.
“I’m not going to be satisfied until this project is done and the trees are still here,” said Simon McVaugh-Smock, who speaks for residents in the Marigold area concerned about plans by the Capital Regional District to run sections of pipeline through the area. Plans call for a pipeline almost 20 kilometres long connecting the future wastewater treatment plant at McLoughlin Point in Esquimalt with the Hartland Landfill in Saanich to carry residual biosolids.
Today I had the pleasure of walking Grange Road in #Saanich with ~50 residents who want the @crd_bc sewage sludge conveyance line to be adjusted to save 49 Garry Oak trees. Powerful to hear them speak of the trees’ value to the community. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/tr9hdkCk7x
— Colin Plant (@ColinPlant2018) December 9, 2018
2/2 I am pleased to learn that the project team is looking at alternate routing in order to save the trees and we hope to have an update mid-week. I appreciate how quickly the @crd_bc Wastewater Project Team has been able to respond to the concerns of #Saanich and its residents pic.twitter.com/VamOu3SMJP
— Colin Plant (@ColinPlant2018) December 9, 2018
The group appears especially concerned about the potential loss of some 50 trees including a Douglas Fir said to be 250 years old along a stretch of Grange Road.
According to McVaugh-Smock, 80 per cent of the trees are endangered Garry oaks, with the remaining ones large, old Douglas firs. Local animals including owls also depend on the trees for habitat and survival, he said.
Area residents met Saturday morning with seven out of nine Saanich councillors including Mayor Fred Haynes and Coun. Colin Plant, chair of the CRD, to discuss the project. Also present was former Saanich councillor and MLA David Cubberley.
McVaugh-Smock said officials were open to their concerns and promised to look into alternatives, adding that residents could learn more about these alternatives as early as the middle of this week.
But McVaugh-Smock is not necessarily counting on success yet — he was signing up more residents in the fight against the project after Saturday’s meeting.
CRD officials, who have spoken of a start date between January and March 2019, told the public last week that they are reviewing plans for this section of work to determine the existence of feasible options to minimize the impacts to trees.
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