Improvements to Sidney’s Tulista Park will get underway in mid-June, the municipality announced in a release.
The project will see crews work on the sidewalk path that runs parallel to Lochside Drive. They will widen the walkway and remove and replace five mature poplar trees on the eastern side of the pathway. The total cost of the work is $200,000, with half the money coming from federal tax funding.
Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith said Tulista Park has become a highly popular destination for families and individuals using the various amenities, including Sidney’s skatepark, a children’s playground, beach volleyball courts, art gallery, picnic area, as well as the waterfront walkway and boat launch.
“Improvements to this well-used sidewalk will make it easier and safer for individuals, families, and people using mobility aids,” he said.
RELATED: Sidney to remove and replace five poplar trees in Tulista Park
Crews will be removing and replacing the trees as part of drainage improvements to remedy the frequent flooding, and will widen the sidewalk from 1.5 to 2.5 metres. The invasive root system of the poplar trees has resulted in sidewalk heaving. The poplar trees also do not provide a significant amount of canopy.
Seven or eight London plane trees, which have a less intrusive root system, a very long lifespan and a much broader canopy, will replace the poplar trees.
The larger canopy allows them to be planted farther away from the sidewalk while still offering shade to pedestrians. The broader canopy will also help increase Sidney’s overall tree canopy.
London plane trees will replace the poplar trees on the west side of the path as required and as they approach end-of-life, eventually creating a harmonious path.
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